Wasteland War
by Exile037
Summary: Post Broken Steel. After the fall of the Enclave, a new threat arrives on the Capital Wasteland. The Lone Wanderer answers the call of war as he, his allies, and the Brotherhood of Steel built together an army to face this unknown and mysterious enemy. It will take all they have, and all they can muster to rebel this enemy. War... war never changes. Male LW/ Sarah Lyons
1. Back to the Homefront

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fallout. Only Bethesda does. That is all.  
**

 **As always. Please read, review, and enjoy!**

Chapter 1: Back to the Home front

Capital Wasteland. February 2278. 2300 hours.

It had been two years since the fall of the Enclave, after their mobile platform headquarters at Adams air force base was destroyed. The Capital Wasteland was once a barren and near deserted wasteland, but now it was a lush greenfield thanks to the effects of a mutant tree man named Harold. The Vault 87 super mutants have fled in total retreat and their Forced Evolutionary Virus source was completely destroyed, leaving the children of Little Lamplight to have a new home in the Citadel. The Brotherhood of Steel have taken an interest of training the children from Little Lamplight, with the children always amazed at the stories of them and the Lone Wanderer. Slaves from both the Pitt and Paradise Falls have settled in the Lincoln memorial, to be safe and protected by their Union leader Hannibal Hamlin. Rosie Marsh from the Republic of Dave started building a settlement with her children, and the Holdens of Vault 101 in Grayditch after the fire ants were exterminated. They receive help from Scott Wollinski and Tanya Christoff, former Mechanist and Antagonizer with Rosie's oldest son Bob and Tom Holden keeping watch for any raiders that might attack the town. The residents of Big Town had left the unprotected settlement, north of Vault 101 and joined up with Reilly's Rangers down in the DC area.

Nadine had taken control of the steam engine ferryboat known as the Duchess Gambit from Tobar, after exacting vengeance by leaving him behind in the swamps of Point Lookout before she began selling Punga fruit to the folks of the wastes. The former abductees of Mothership Zeta have kept a constant watch on Earth with help from Sally, Elliot Tercorien, and Toshiro Kago who stayed behind the floating ship. Elliot's squad in the Great War which consisted of Sergeant Parker Daniels, Privates Chad Beckett and Lawrence Mears stayed. They and four members of the Pre-War Chinese forces, after putting aside their differences helped the Lone Wanderer to defeat the zeta aliens. After the destruction of Mothership Zeta, Elliot's squad and Mai Long's crimson dragoons went back to Earth after the Lone Wanderer's departure and offered assistance to Grayditch. For the Lone Wanderer himself, Nicholas Law became a beacon of hope for the people of the Capital Wasteland due to the help of his companions. He has been known for aiding the Brotherhood against the Enclave, taking back Project Purity, and liberator of slaves from Paradise Falls and the Pitt. Slavers have been scarce since then, with only a small dozen to remain. But now, a new danger would arose from the horizon and prepare for another battle that could spark a war.

"Where is they?! Where the fuck are they!?" a raider yelled with his fellow raiders following behind him as they fled

"I don't know, man. Keep running!"

"What were those things?! That looked like ferals ghouls, but more scarier as fuck! More deformed and down right ugly!"

"Keep running. We need to-" the fourth raider was tackled to the ground by a looming figure, with the rest of the raiders fleeing away

"Shit! One of them got things got him!"

"Left his ass behind. He's already dead!"

A small group of raiders were fleeing out of Moonbeam drive-in, with one of them having their leg shot as he cried in pain. Another shot hit the raider dead center in the head, while the pouncing creature that killed the fourth raider bit down on the other raider's arm. The third raider felt a sharp object lunge into his chest, piercing his heart as he fell in a pool of his own blood. The last two raiders stopped as their rifles at the attacking creature, dodging every bullet that could inflict damage as it pounced at the raider on the left. The last raider began to fell as a hand gripped his neck, slowly cracking his bagpipe. His blood shots eyes widened in horror, with dilated pupils as his neck was twisted before impact on the ground. The figure appeared in the form of a greenish-gray bulking male, leaving his appearance to be that of a super mutant.

"Tomorrow. The master race will again rise. And those that stand in our way will fail." the voice said the rest of the raiders, along with those of Talon company were held in gunpoint with devices on their necks

Megaton. 0800 hours.

A door knocked on the door was made as Wadsworth, the robotic butler of the Lone Wanderer welcomed a guest in the form of Butch Deloria. Butch and Nicholas were rivals back in Vault 101 since they were kids. Nicholas even fought Butch, Wally Mack, and Paul Hannon before taking the G.O.A.T exam while they were harassing Amata. But after Nick had saved Butch's mother from a pack of radroaches, Butch look up to him as a friend. Since then, he has had adventures with the Lone Wanderer's merry band. Charon still had Nick as his employer after Ahzrukhal gave the contact to him which lead Charon to splatter his former employer's brains out. Fawkes still stayed and visit Nicholas in Megaton, plus he helped Lucas Simms keep the raiders at bay. Sydney still lived in Underworld and would regularly visit Nicholas whenever she was in Megaton, even tell him any rumors that would peak his interest.

The super sledge of Star Paladin Cross laid beside the locker of Nicholas' arsenal after her death in fighting the Enclave in Adams Air Force. Butch took a moment of silence when he saw the hammer of the Star Paladin, recalling that she watched Nick and his dad before they came to Vault 101. Dogmeat rushed down the stairs as the loyal canine companion of the Lone Wanderer pounced on Butch, with the former Tunnel Snake patting down his head. All he wore was power armor, with a snake on his right shoulder pad with a bramhin skull on the left. But the design of the power armor looked makeshift with spare metal part, taking on a recent tribal feature. The home barely looked a bit like the Vault and Pre-War in a short and mixed comparison, with a generator in the small room upstairs. A bobble head collection machine with all the bobble heads in collection. A couch of the Pre-War was laid out, along with a coffee table having a radio broadcasting the Galaxy News Radio station.

"Hello, Master Deloria." the robotic butler

Butch looked up at Wadsworth and asked. "What's kicking, Wadsworth? Is Nicky here or is he still doing his lone wanderer business?"

"I believe he is asleep, sir." Wadsworth stated. "The master has recently had a long night. His feat involved a couple of deathclaws. Luckily, he was a friend of the animals when a Yao Gaoi came to his aid while he made the killing blow to those foul beasts."

"That schmuck. Is he up yet?"

"I heard that. And yes, I am up." said a voice from upstairs, leaving Butch silently laugh in a snort

Butch looked up to see a light dark skinned man walked down the steps, with a waster hairstyle and a rough beard on his face. He was wearing a vault 101 jumpsuit, with a lab coat in tact as he rubbed the back of his neck after waking from his slumber. He checked the time on his pip-boy 3000 as he went to his refrigerator and pulled a bottle of nuka-cola and two piece of iguana sticks. He tossed one to Dogmeat, catching it in his mouth as the canine chewed on it with the Lone Wanderer taking a bite out of it as well and taking a sip of nuka-cola.

"Heard you had a long night."

"I did. After getting chased by deathclaws, I came back here." Nick stated. "For the remainder of last night, I spliced Dogmeat's gene with that of a wolf. Notice anything different about him?"

Butch glanced back at Dogmeat which looked slightly taller and toned. "I'm noticing it right now. Charon and Fawkes are waiting for you outside."

"Did Elder Lyons send you to find me? Or was it Sarah?"

"Neither sent me. Tom asked me to find you."

"Tom Holden? That's a surprise."

"He wants to talk about fortifying Grayditch, and bring some of those living in the common house here as residents." Butch stated as Nicholas had a startled and shocked expression on his face. "Nick? Nicky?"

"I can't believe it."

"Believe what?"

Butch got his answer as Nicholas showed a transmission coming from out of Megaton. But what caught his eye the most, was that it was from Vault 101 leaving Butch to check as well. He stared back at Nicholas who had a unsure look on his face. He remembered the last time Nick came to Vault 101 regarding the issue with Amata's father. Nicholas was able to get Alphonse Almodovar to step down as Overseer, and hand over control of the Vault 101 to his daughter Amata. However; things did not end well on a happy ending for Nicholas as he was to never return home again. Butch furrowed his brows as he remembered the day Nicholas was exiled.

Flashback. Two years ago.

" _I'm sorry, but you have to leave the vault."_

" _Are you serious?! You're going to kick him out just for helping us?!"_

" _A lot of people still blame Nick for happened here, Butch. If they are going to trust us from now on, we... have get rid of the problem that troubles them."_

" _He saved the Vault! Are you really going to kick him out just for that?! You know he lost his old man! You're suppose to be his best-"_

" _Butch, let it go. I understand. If that's how the Vault feels after I saved their asses, then I will never come back."_

" _Nick, I'm-"_

" _Save it. You coming Butch?"_

" _Yeah. Let's get out of this shithole."_

Flashback end.

"Do you want to really want to..." Butch trailed off

"Let's see what this is first." Nick replied as he started the emergency transmission

" _Nick. I don't know if you could here this, but I need your help. Allen Mack has started a coup inside the Vault and locked everyone including me. Before I was caught, I changed the password to your father's name and rite from the bible. If you won't do it for me, at least do it for everyone in the Vault hope you can hear... and I want to say I'm sorry for banishing you to the Vault._

"What's the plan?" Butch asked as Nicholas narrowed his eyes

"Are Charon and Fawkes still outside?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Nick went to his locker and grabbed out a Hei Gui Chinese stealth armor. "Tell them to meet me outside Brass Lantern."

"Think it's a trap?"

"I'm planning ahead in case this is one." Nick answered smugly as he took a silenced N99 10mm pistol and General Jingwei's shocksword. "If Allen Mack thinks he can screw with me, he's dead fucking wrong on that. Wadsworth."

"Yes, sir?"

Nick stroked his chin and cheek as he looked at his hair in a mirror. "I need a haircut before I go. Plus a shave."

Main Hall, Vault 101. 1027 hours.

The residents of Vault 101 were lined up to security officers loyal to Allen Mack. Mack and his son Wally stood in attention as the prisoners were being brought to him. In the line up of residents beside Amata and her father, there was Christine Kendall who remained as a adviser to Amata when she became overseer. Officer Gomez and his family. Edward Brotch who was a teacher of his students who were now grown up. There was even Allen Mack's daughter and Wally's sister, Susie among the crowd of prisoners. Allen Mack himself was in a Vault-tec security uniform, still have his baseball cap on while he held a gun in his hand.

"Now that everyone's here, we can finally discuss our situation. Such as once the vault closes, it stays closed for good this time. But as for that arrogant bastard, Nicholas Law dies today. All because of him and his stupid father that caused all of this to happen-"

"What a load of brahmin shit!" shouted a voice from behind as the security guards look to see Butch armed with a R91 assault rifle. One of the guards went down his holster to pull out his 10mm, only for Butch to aimed the laser rifle at his head. "Don't even think about it, buddy. Drop it." the guard dropped the pistol as it hit the floor

"Oh, it's you. The **rebel** tunnel snake." Wally retorted. "You're just one man, Butch. Best just to turn back now."

Butch snorted as he saw two figures behind the vault 101 guards. "That's when you're right there, Wally." he replied

"Drop it, smoothskins."

The vault 101 guards eyes were wide with shock as a zombie looking mutant wearing leather armor aimed his combat shotgun at him. And he was not the only one aiming their weapons at them. A bulky yellowish-green man wearing torn up vault suit, where Amata could made the number being 87 on his back as he carried a gatling laser. Everyone in vault 101 felt terrified at the two mutants, especially Amata but she realized they were not trying to kill or capture her and the rest of the residents. The guards dropped their pistols as only Allen Mack and his son held their pistols in their hands, aiming at Butch, Fawkes, and Charon.

"This is your help, Butch? A zombie and a mutant giant?"

Charon glared at Allen Mack, as he aimed his shotgun at Allen Mack's head and said. "Say that again, smoothskin. I dare you."

"You are outmatched. We recommend you surrender." Fawkes said

"Us? Surrender?! I think-"

A pair of sharp teeth bit Wally's hand as he dropped his 10mm pistol, with Allen Mack's hand being twisted by an invisible hand causing him to drop his gun on the floor. A sword with blue electricity currents going near his face as a figure appeared to be wearing a stealth suit of the crimson dragoons. But the odd thing about the stealth outfit was that were was a shady fedora hat on his head. The man tossed the fedora to Butch who caught after apprehending Wally Mack, as he removed the mask off of his face. Allen Mack's face was filled with shock and anger at the sight of who it was. Everyone had shocked expressions, most of all so did Amata herself as the face revealed to be Nicholas Law. His face showed a terrorsaur hairstyle and soul patch under his bottom lip.

"Nick?"

"Amata. Long time, no see." the Lone Wanderer said, giving her a quick wink as he kicked Allen Mack in the ass. "Move it. Now."

"You got some nerve showing your face here, after you and your dad-" Allen yelped in pain with Nick snapped a bone

"Shut up." Nick snarled as he walked toward Fawkes with Allen Mack still held captive. "Hold him for me, would you?"

"Of course, my friend." the loyal super mutant grabbed both of Allen Mack's hands with his own. "I would try avoid more unpleasantness if I were you." he growled

Nick turned his attention to the residents of Vault 101. "People of Vault 101, hear me for what I have to say. I know everything went to shit after my father left, and it took me to come back home fixing all of this. But I am not to blame for this. The reason my father left the vault was because of helping the people in the Capital Wasteland. To give fresh and clean water throughout the wastes. He died doing that for the people of the Capital wasteland." he then pointed at Allen Mack. "This man would want you to remain locked in this vault for protection. All because of stupid philosophy of genetic diversity. You cannot stay here for the rest of your lives and have inbred remnants in this. You need to leave this place."

"But where are we suppose to go?" Freddie Gomez asked

Nick and Butch glanced at each other, before turning their attention to the residents of the vault. "There's a starting settlement south of Megaton and the Super Duper mart called Grayditch. A place for new settlers and I recommend you go there for a new home." Charon handed them books as they reluctantly took them. "We have survival guides for you to survive in the wasteland. This will help you out and telly you all everything you need to know about the Capital Wasteland. Which is why you will be given a choice." Butch explained

"You can either stay here with Allen Mack for the rest of your lives, or you can follow us to Grayditch and have a new place to call home. The choice is yours." Nicholas finished as the group left, leaving the residents of Vault 101 to make their decision

The Lone Wanderer and his group stayed outside Vault 101 for over an hour, as they waited for the residents to make their choice before leaving for good. There was a point where Nicholas wished to go back home to the place he grew up in, but that ship sailed when his father left the Vault. That left Nicholas to go out into the Capital Wasteland to find his father. Since then, it was all about survival fighting against raiders, super mutants, feral ghouls, and the danger creatures in the wastes. Once he escaped a virtual simulator in Vault 112, he finally found his father after a long search. He met up with a few good people along the way while searching for his father like Three Dog, Madison Li, and Elder Lyons. He was even set in helping his father with Project Purity, but it did not go so well in the end. The Enclave came and invaded the Jefferson memorial where Project Purity was held, causing his father's life in the process.

At that moment, Nicholas' life went upside down when he lost the only family he had. But he gained a new one with the Brotherhood of Steel. Madison Li herself was like a mother figure to him, regarding him as her son before and during the lost of her father. There was even a point that he called her mom, and it sort of stuck to her since then. It lead to him finding a G.E.C.K in Vault 87, then being captured by the Enclave. After he convinced Eden to self-destruct, Raven Rock was destroyed and now used as another base for the Brotherhood of Steel after two long years. He was left in a coma for two weeks after taking on the purifier in Jefferson memorial, knocking him and Sarah Lyons unconscious. Once he was out of his coma, Nicholas finished the fight with the Enclave in Adams Air Force base. Liberty Prime was still under repair after the mobile satellite missile launch in one of the missions to attack the Enclave.

Nick felt a nudge from Butch as he said. "Would you look at that."

Nick watched as Amata along with her father and everyone else stepped out of the Vault. He saw the look on their faces when they were first out, reminding him of his first time outside the Vault. Christine Kendall, Susie Mack, Freddie Gomez and his family, Mr. Brotch, and Amata's father Alphonse Admovodar. Susie's mother Gloria came out of the cave, joining her daughter as she looked back at the cave to see two more people about to come out after Stanley came out. Butch's mother Ellen was the last two person to step out, with the other being Wally Mack. Wally stared at Nicholas and Butch as he walked toward him having his arms crossed.

"I'm not going with the others." he stated

Susie step out of the crowd and stared at her brother with shock. "What?"

"Wally, this could be a new start for you." Nick reasoned him with as Butch took a step closer to Wally

"Where the hell are you going to go, then?"

"This town you mentioned, Megaton. I mean, it's right there." Wally pointed at said town with fortified walls covering around it. "I'll look for work there. Then maybe someday, I'll come visit Susie in this Grayditch town."

"No! We stay together!" Gloria exclaimed

"Mom. I need to be-"

"Wally, be with your family. They need you." Nicholas said as Wally scoffed and looked away, with Butch grabbing his shoulder. "My family's gone, but you still have yours. Go be with them in Grayditch.

"If you won't it for him or me, then do it for them." Butch pleaded

Wally sighed. "Fine. For them."

Nicholas glanced at his ghoul bodyguard. "Charon."

the ghoul nodded as he gazed at the group of vault dwellers. "Alright, smoothskins. Follow us. Next stop: Grayditch."

Grayditch. 1248 hours.

The town of Grayditch was on constant watch by Parker Daniels, as he and Tom Holden were keeping an eye on the perimeter from Grayditch to Falls Church. Tom took a bite of out his cooked mole rat meat, as it tasted suddenly like feet to him while Tom kept a scoped sniper rifle in his hands. Out of the distance, Tom spotted figures approaching from off the hill as he aimed at the scope of his hunting rifle. Parker started to noticed as well, keeping his sniper rifle trained on the incoming figures with his finger closer to the trigger. But Tom suddenly lowered his hunting rifle when he noticed a certain someone made his way among the crowd of people, as Parker lowered his weapon once he realized who it was. Parker jumped down the top as he opened the gate with residents consisting of Rosie and her children, Mary Holden carrying Marie from the Pitt, Abel and David watched in attention.

The Lone Wanderer inside the town of Grayditch as the entire residents of Vault 101 made him to the town. Mary went over to Gloria and her Susie, embracing them in a quick hug along with Amata. Fawkes, Charon, and Butch were the last to step in Grayditch. Rosie's children except for Shawna and Bob, who were adults ran around Fawkes as the youngest one Flower was sitting on the super mutant's shoulders. Rosie herself made her way toward the Lone Wanderer as he removed his stealth armor mask.

"How's it going, Rosie?"

"We're doing well so far. The rest of the settlers have already settled in Falls Church." Rosie stated. "Ronald Laren and Sierra Petrovita decided to stay there after leaving Girdeshade last week. Mai Long is in Arlington with Tanya and Scott, near the Mason district." she added as she glanced at the new arrivals that recently came to the town. "People you know I take it?"

"They're from Vault 101 like me and Butch are." Nicholas replied as he pointed his finger at Amata, her father, and the residents. "That's Amata, my closest friend. Her father, Alphonse Almodovar. And everyone else. Tom and Mary can fill you in on everyone else. Plus we can use the Alexandria arms hotel as a military base. Mai said there was a weapons manufacture facility in Mama Dolce's. Full with Chinese weaponry like assault rifles and maybe some vehicles. That's where the People's republic remnants were the last time I was there."

"We have a lot of wastelanders and former slaves now settlers in the towns. We can have a army with us beside the Brotherhood of Steel." Rosie concluded. "There's also a generator that's out on the fritz lately. Know anyone who help with that?" she inquired

Nick pointed his thumb at Stanley. "Talk to that man right there. His name is Stanley. He knows more about fixing stuff that I do."

"Well, I'll get your people settled." Rosie replied. "Excuse me, residents of Vault 101!" they all turned their attention to her. "My name is Rosie. I would like to welcome you to Grayditch. Your new home to make it better. We have other settlement on Falls Church and Mason district if you wish to stay there also. Now, if you follow me I'll see you to where you'll be staying."

"Excuse me." Amata said catching Rosie's gaze. "Is it okay if I talk with Nick for a moment. Alone."

Rosie glanced at Nicholas as he nodded his head. "Of course. Now, if you all will follow me please..."

As soon as Rosie was giving a tour of Grayditch, there was a awkward silence with Amata and Nicholas. Amata did not know what to say ever since she banished Nicholas from the vault nearly two years ago, and asked for his help today. They were best friends since they were babies, children. She remembered him fighting Butch and his tunnel snakes when it was the G.O.A.T exam. There was another moment that she recalled in her memory, both of them in fact.

Flashback. Five years ago.

 _After taking the G.O.A.T, Nicholas and Amata were at the diner eating lunch as they were having noodles and salisbury steak. Amata had the noodles while Nick was munching on the steak, chewing the meat inside his mouth. He looked at the corner of his eye to notice Freddie Gomez step in the diner as Andy awaited for his order of meal. Amata glanced as well, seeing as how he was the last person in their class to enter. Amata had gotten the supervisor position on her scores, while Butch received the duty of hairdresser which made Nicholas chuckled. Paul was going to be an engineer, Christine was going to be in maintenance with Stanley, and Susie was scheduled as a teacher. However; he had no idea what Wally was going to be. Even Mr. Brotch was stunned by his results, which hinted he was positioned to be a security officer in the Vault. Lastly, Nicholas found out he was going to be slated as the Vault's loyalty inspector which was phased decades ago._

" _What do you think Freddie is slated for?" Amata asked_

" _No idea. Let me go ask him real quick." Nick said finishing his meal as he stared at Freddie. "Hey, Freddie. How did you do on the G.O.A.T today?"_

" _Pip-boy programmer." Freddie answered. "I'll be talking shop with Stanley." he finished heading to Susie and Christine_

" _How about you? I know I'm slated as a shift supervisor, but what are you slated for?"_

" _Vault loyalty inspector." he saw the stunned look on Amata's face. "I know it's quite a shock. It's been phased out decades ago." he replied handing the plate to Andy who set it on the sink with the rest of the dishes_

" _I'm surprised you would get it." Amata said in a surprised tone as she got the dinner plate to Andy_

" _Me too. It might turn out well for me in the end." Nicholas replied leaving the diner with Amata beside him_

" _Nick." said person turned to look at Amata. "I just want to saw thank you, for defending me with Butch and those stupid tunnel snakes. Immature assholes."_

" _They don't scare me." Nick said to her as Amata wiped her hand on the bruise he got one of Wally's punches_

" _I just don't want to see you get hurt again." she said as her hand touched his cheek. "I know you're not afraid of Butch, but you have to use your head before excelling to violence."_

" _Amata, I know what I'm doing."_

" _Nick, I just..." she trailed off, now touching his hand with hers. "All I just want is for you to be careful."_

" _I'll be fine, Amata. There comes a time where you have to stand tall." Nicholas started as he pressed his hand on Amata's shoulder. "To plan it strong or smart. That's exactly what I'm doing here."_

" _I hope you're right." Amata said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Again... thank you for getting me out of trouble."_

Flashback end.

"Amata?" said woman snapped out of her trance as she stared back at the only friend she had exiled from the Vault. "You wanted to talk?"

"Right, right!" she exclaimed looking away before turning back to him. "I want to say thank you for helping everyone in the world. Also, thanks for letting us read these survival guides."

"Well, here you guys are going to be taught how to defend yourselves." Nicholas added, as the rest of the former residents of Vault 101 were welcomed inside to Dot's Diner by Mary Holden. "Are you hungry? They're having lunch."

"Nick, about me banishing you..."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"You know why I did it."

"To kick me out because some people still blamed my ass for what happened after me and dad left."

"You think I wanted to kick you out on purpose?"

"That's what it looked like to me."

"What was I suppose to do?"

"You could have let me stayed and help you out, as a friend."

"You know that wouldn't change anything. Even if you still stayed, they wouldn't allow it. No matter what."

"Two years later, Allen Mack is causing hell and I come back. Now, here we are." Nicholas countered crossing his arms. "I would expect your dad to kick me out, but you... you're the last person I would ever expect."

Amata looked away hearing the anger in his voice. "Nick..."

"Hey, Nick!" both Nicholas and Amata turned to see Butch approaching them. "I just got word from Raven Rock. We've got a report that it's under attack!"

"By who? Enclave?"

"Unknown."

Nicholas raised a eyebrow, but kept a serious look and inquired. "Unknown?"

"A vertibird is on the way. Sydney's on her way with the vertibird." Butch stated as Nicholas went a preservation shelter to take off his Chinese stealth armor, with a duffle bag in his hand. "I'll stay here to make sure everyone's okay here while you're gone."

"I'll have Dogmeat stay with you."

Amata looked at Butch confused. "Dogmeat."

"That's the name of his dog. The one laying his head on your feet."

Amata knelt down and patted the dogs head. "What kind of a name is Dogmeat?" she asked scratching Dogmeat's ear

"He was the one that named it." Butch stated to Amata as Nicholas step out of the shelter wearing a white t-shirt and brown fatigue pants with black military boots

"It was the only thing that popped into my mind." he replied with Butch tossing him a black leather jacket, with a snake on the back as Nicholas worn it on top of his brown fatigue pants and military boots. "As for Raven Rock, I'll take Charon and Fawkes with me. You sure you can handle it from here?" he inquired putting a magazine clip on the Xuanlong type 93 Chinese assault rifle

"Lyons' pride is heading this way to check on the settlement." Butch told him, pulling out a laser rifle as the vertibird arrived. "We'll have BOS troops and locals prepare themselves while the children here go to safety, just in case."

The vertibird opened as Fawkes and Charon went inside the VTOL aircraft. "We'll see who we're dealing with. Either Enclave or..." Nicholas trailed off getting in the vertibird

Butch looked back at him and yelled. "Or what?"

"Or something worse." Nicholas finished in a yell, closing the latch as the vertibird took off heading to Raven Rock

Raven Rock. 0211 hours.

A rolling head of a BOS paladin ran off the ground, as more paladins and knights charged forward firing their energy based laser weapons. They took cover under the trenches as plasma blasts rain down on them, turning a couple of knights into piles of goo. Blast after blast, initiates and paladins were losing their limbs and lives through plasma fire as a knight fired off a shot from a gauss rifle. Then all of a sudden, a holographic blue light shot his body as the knight's head blew off while a vertibird made its way to the battle with the BOS emblem on the side. Inside was the Lone Wanderer and his companions Sydney, Charon, and Fawkes as a display showed the battle below. Sydney was wearing a black and dark blue leather jacket, tucked into black gloves with blue jeans and black knee-high boots. She wore leather cartridge carrying belts around the waist, with her ultra 10mm sub-machine gun holstered on her hip. The Brotherhood was against enemies with energy weapons, but it was not whom they suspect.

Five unknown races were attacking as Nicholas got a closer look at them. The first species were a race of mutants with hooves, a harness and piece of cloth strapped around their torso firing needle guns that reminded Nicholas of the railway rifle he made. The second mutant race had short horns on their forehead, sharp ears, and a short tail wearing scrap metal armor firing firing steel projectile launcher that resembled rock-it launchers on their. The third unknown mutant race had horns and feet of a brahmin, with a heavy armor plating on their torso and metal cod piece. They carried triple barrel weapons that shot a scattered flechette rounds of orange balls that showed the spread of a shotgun, while some on the other hand fired plasma casters at the BOS. The fourth mutant race mostly composed of pale skinned women due to the fact on their faces and torso, but had the clawed hands and feet firing 9mm sub-machine guns. But the last race was one Nicholas highly remembered seeing with widened eyes, mainly from the Pitt. Their skin was red and had black beady eyes, garbed in armored rags firing assault rifles which had a yellow highlight on the chamber and XM-32 labeled on them.

"Trogs." Nicholas muttered in a growl

Fawke glanced over his shoulder at the Lone Wanderer and inquired. "Say again, my friend?"

"Trogs. They're from the Pitt." Nicholas stated in shock. "The place were I liberated the slaves. But they're different."

Sydney raised an eyebrow at she looked at the Pitt mutants Nicholas recognized. "How so? They don't look like anything I've seen."

Nicholas pointed at the Trogs charging on their feet. "They're running and walking on their feet. They never do that." he stated. "When I encountered these things on the Pitt, they always attacked on all fours. Their skin is red, where it should have been grey. They're smarter somehow attacking like soldiers."

Charon rubbed his chin watching the Trogs fight the Brotherhood of Steel. "Could be formidable opponents." he said remarkably. "We should see how tough these sons of bitches are." a beeping sound was heard on the sensors of the vertibird

"Sir, we got incoming!" the pilot exclaimed

The Lone Wanderer and his group look at the display again, to see a couple of vehicles approaching. They were tanks basically having a low chassis propelled by screws, with a laser cannon jury-rigged to the drill tower. Nicholas' memory was jogged when he realized what the tanks were, recalling a time where he was in a virtual simulator with his eyes wide with shock. The simulation itself was that of the battle of Anchorage, Alaska against communist forces of China. The laser cannons aimed at the veritbird, preparing to open fire.

Nicholas turned back to his group and the pilots. "Chimera tanks! Everyone brace for impact!" he yelled as, everyone held on something while a blast impacted on the vertibird

"We've been hit! The left wing has been compromised!"

"We're going down!"

The vertibird began shaking and bumping as it flew downward, with the two pilots began to steer clear from incoming rocks. The aircraft darted right, crashing fifty yards away from Raven Rock as Nicholas was on the back with Sydney on top of him while Charon and Fawkes were getting up from the vertibird. Nicholas slowly brought himself up as Sydney gained consciousness, with Fawkes helping both of them up on the floor while Charon kicked the door opened leaving the deceased pilots inside. He was the first to jump off the latch, aiming his combat shotgun left and right while Fawke came out carrying his gatling laser. Nicholas pulled himself off of the vertibird door as he fell on the ground.

"God damn it." he swore as he got up to pull Sydney out of the crashed veritbird. "There you go. You alright?"

"Fine." she removed his hand off of her posterior. "Now get your hand off my ass." she slightly threatened as Nicholas backed away with his hands in mock surrender. She looked behind them to find out they were spotted by scouts from the mysterious mutated army. "Looks like they found us."

"Take 'em out!" Nicholas yelled out drawing their weapons, as they started firing making all guns blazing


	2. Declaration of War

Chapter 2: Declaration of War

Grayditch. 0236 hours.

Butch was tinkering with his tri-beam laser rifle while keeping a constant eye on the residents of Vault 101, as Dogmeat laid down resting near Amata. He was retrofitted it with focus optics and a scope, combining impact and accuracy as Butch eyed Amata who paced back and forth for Nick to return. He recalled the moment before Nicholas left with the group, both him and Amata had an argument or some sort of fight recently. Butch shook his head, realizing things never settled with Nicholas and Amata after he had to leave the Vault again and then come back to help the residents of Vault 101 from Allen Mack's coup. Gloria Mack and her daughter were still in the diner while Wally was leaning to a wall, shifting his eyes left and right at anyone suspicious. He spotted a couple of people having a conversation.

Two men, one was middle aged and the other was in his twenties. The middle aged man had a buzz saw cut wearing only a settlers outfit. The other man in his twenties had blast back brown hair and green eyes, with a rough beard on his face wearing a gray shirt and charcoal pants and black military boots. Nicholas once told Butch that he knew them as vault dwellers from Vault 76 in the Capital Wastes that stayed in GNR radio station, before and during the Brotherhood's arrival. Mostly all of the vaults in the Pitt moved to the Capital Wasteland, even putting together an army composed of three groups. Those born and raised from the vaults themselves, freed slaves from both Paradise Falls and the Pitt, and mainly local wastelanders from the Capital Wasteland.

For commandos being trained by Sgt. Daniels and his men, they would wear combat armor and helmets. Mai Long and her crimson dragoons would teach those in stealth and special operation, wearing leather armor and metal helmets taking the standard name of black ops. The weapons were standard for both commandos and black ops. The weapons they have brought with them consisted of: Chinese assault rifles, 10mm pistols, .45 submachine guns, missile launchers, and sniper rifles. It also concluded silence scoped infiltrator assault rifles, frag grenades, flash bangs, miniguns, and cryo grenades from Mothership Zeta. Variety section of plasma grenades along with pulse grenades for disruption. The older man was David Cameron, and the other was Andrew Cole. Whose mother was from Vault 76 while his father was from somewhere East of the US. Butch decided to turn the radio on his pip-boy, setting the channel to Galaxy News Radio.

" _Hey everybody! This is Three Dog. Bow wow wow. Coming to you live from the slice of heaven I call Galaxy News Radio. I got some news for ya, Children! The Messiah of humanity, the Lone Wanderer was recently spotted at Grayditch today. But he wasn't alone, kiddies. It turns out that everyone from Vault 101 had came along, and it looks like they're here to stay. What the hell was going on in that vault. Revolution? Vacation? Someone couldn't stand a smell of somebody taking a shit? No idea. Rosie, formerly from the Republic of Dave now is the town's mayor, and she's got it running from Falls Church to Alexandria Arms down in Arlington. So if there's anyone out here looking for a new place to settle in, head over there right now to get yourselves a new home. In other news, there has been a lot of rumors gotten around that raiders and all of Talon Company have gone dark. There hasn't be a peep out of neither of them since or where the hell they are, but I urge you all watch yourselves out there. Old Three Dog got a bad feeling about this, and he senses a storm coming this way. Thanks for tuning in, everybody! This is Three Dog! AEEEOOOWWWW! Telling you the truth, no matter how bad it hurts. And now, for some music."_

The song _World on fire_ began to play, as Butch kept watch over the former residents of Vault 101 while he suddenly spotted a vertibird coming away from the corner of his eye. The vertibird landed 20 yards away as Lyon's Pride step out. As always the Pride itself consisted of Kodiak, Dusk, Colvin, and Gallows. A woman with her blonde hair tied back and blue eyes wearing power armor, as she walked over to Butch who was 'unofficially' a member of Lyon's Pride. This woman was Sarah Lyons, sentinel of Lyon's Pride and the Brotherhood of Steel.

"Sentinel. Lyon's Pride." he greeted

Sarah Lyon nodded her head at Butch. "Deloria. What's the situation from Raven Rock?" she asked

Butch looked down, then back up with his eyes closed before he opened them and said. "Unknown. The place is overrun with an enemy we apparently don't even recognize or ever encountered. Nick took a team of his own to investigate."

"Could it be the Enclave? Or that the super mutants from Vault 87 have come back?" Sarah inquired

"Don't know. Nick should be there by now to see what's going on." Butch replied. "Right now, he suggested I wait here until you arrive. Set up a perimeter from here to the Alexandria Arms close by Arlington library and the Citadel."

Sarah looked to find the residents of Vault 101 inside Dot's diner. "Looks like you guys brought the whole vault with you."

"All that's left of it." Butch stated as Sarah took a glance at Amata. "If you're wondering if that's her, it is."

Sarah rolled her eyes at Butch and said. "I didn't say anything."

Butch looked smugly at Sarah and replied. "But you were thinking of it. Anyway, I was thinking they can settle here or Falls Church."

"We'll have some paladins and a few initiates to stand on watch." Sarah stated. "The Pride can stay here."

"Before you do..." a voice with an accent hinting a bit of Australian, trailing off as it was revealed to be Andrew Cole and David Cameron. "Cameron asked to speak to you."

"Crowley and Roy Phillips from Tenpenny tower request an audience with us here in Sanctum." Cameron explained referring to the three towns consisting of Grayditch, Falls Church, and Alexandria arms along with Arlington library. "And also the Brotherhood of Steel. It has something regarding your former friends the Outcasts." he added

Sarah raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. "This has something to do with the Outcasts? I thought they were still in Fort Independence."

The Outcast and the Brotherhood of Steel had to keep their distance, ever since Casdin formed the group. There was a report that Nick had answered a transmission coming from a group of Outcast calling for assistance. It had turned out that were trying to attempt to open a weapons vault inside the temporal base they were using. However, in order for them to get in, they needed Nicholas to enter a virtual simulator recalling the events of Anchorage, Alaska during the time of the Great War. Nicholas succeeded the virtual simulation and manage to open the weapons vault, but there was a coup that cost the Outcast their lives by one of their own with Nicholas as the only survivor. It was when he acquired equipment like the winterized t-51 power armor, Jingwei's shocksword, and the rest of any ordinance that was inside the vault inside. From the looks of their current status, the Outcast numbers were dwindling due to the fact of not requiring new recruits.

"Last we heard, the Outcasts went to Fort Constantine." Andrew stated to Sarah. "We saw a group of them heading north three days ago."

"John Laydon said there was at least twenty, including Casdin himself." Cameron added

"It could be them leading a assault to Raven Rock." Dusk said. "Those pricks would do anything to go back at us."

"It's not their character.

"Besides it can't be them. They don't have the manpower to pull it off or even the resources." Gallows replied. "I scouted that fort over a few times. If they were leaving, they would have to go back west."

Dusk placed her hands on her hips as he stared at Gallows. "You mean with the West Coast Brotherhood of Steel."

"All but to condemn us for heroic deeds of helping the people of the Capital Wasteland." Colvin said

"Exactly. That is where they would go." Kodiak agreed. "Even though they would have to go up north the eastern seaboard, the Outcasts would still want us all killed in a firing squad back in California."

Sarah glanced at Butch who held his tri-beam laser rifle in hand. "Deloria, I need you to contact Raven Rock or Law."

"I'll check in for five minutes for a update on the situation." Butch said. "If I don't hear anything from either the base or Nick, I'll assemble a team to find out what's going on."

"I see. In the meantime, we should-" Sarah was cut off by the town alarm blaring

"That's the alarm!" Cameron exclaimed. "Rosie! We need arms!"

"I'm on it!" said woman turned her attention to the former residents. "Vault 101 residents I want all of you head for Falls Church! Get to safe at Falls Church. Follow Mary Holden, she knows where it is."

"Deloria, you're with me. Pride, move out!" Sarah yelled out as her, Butch, and Lyon's Pride heading for the gate

Butch noticed Amata following behind him and Sarah. "What are you doing here?! Go with the others!"

Before Amata could say a word, an explosion erupt near the gate as men and women carrying weapons such as got into position. Armed with R91 assault rifles and scoped hunting rifles, six were by the diner while the other six took point near the shack 30 yard near the gate. Butch and Sarah headed for the gate Amata stared down at the duffle bag Nick had with him on the trip, taking it as she ran to a secluded place. Andrew was tossed a .45 submachine gun taking position by the shack while Cameron stayed with the rest over the diner. Sarah reached the top where Tom Holden and Parker Daniels were, as one of them handed her the binoculars to get a glimpse at who was attempting to assault Grayditch. She had no idea who or what they were, judging by the horns, hooves, strange eyes, and claws of their mysterious new enemy.

"What are they?" Butch asked noticing the weapons they carried with the binoculars. "Look at all that firepower. I never seen anything like it before!"

Sarah closed her eyes and sighed. "Nick. Nick, where the hell are you?" she muttered under her breath

Raven Rock. 0247 hours.

The Brotherhood of Steel were holding their group at the attack of their unknown enemy, having advanced weapons and plasma weapons. A slate grey and blue highlight grenade that landed near a paladin's foot, as it exploded into a scorching blue fire that burned the body to scorching dust. Chimera tanks reign fire upon them as BOS initiates and paladins stayed down to take cover. Nicholas and his group took cover behind the rocks as they fired their weapons back at their new and mysterious enemy. His eyes focused on the chimera tanks opening fire on the Brotherhood of Steel, formulating a plan to take out the chimeras as he reloaded his Xuanlong assault rifle.

"Charon, faun and minotaur on your left!" Nicholas shouted to his ghoul companion as he shot two fauns in the chest

"Understood." Charon replied shooting a faun dead center in the head, while he took kept from the minotaur's incoming fire

Sydney aimed her Ultra 10mm sub-machine gun and shot a faun in the eye. "Remind me again why you decided to name these things that are trying to kill us and Brotherhood of Steel." she said

"Made the most sense at the time. Giving them the names of legendary creatures from the Greek Mythology seem to be right." Nicholas took a shot at the minotaur's shoulder, leaving Charon to fire his combat shotgun in the heart. "The fauns are the grunts of the group. Satyrs are the elite soldiers of the group. Minotaurs are the brute force and heavy duty soldiers. And as for those pasty pale ladies..." he trailed off, hinting the pale skinned woman with claws and talons that fired plasma based tommy guns. "I'm calling them harpies. Because of their cries, and that they can somehow glide in mid-air instead of flying." he fired off a shot a faun's eye socket as blood sprayed out of its mouth. "There's an old saying: when a raven cries, a man dies."

"Admirable and yet a grim saying, my friend." Fawke said mowing down satyrs and minotaurs while Sydney shot down the harpies and fauns. "But could we proceed our way to the Brotherhood base instead of dealing with these pests?"

"Right. But first..." his eyes darted toward the chimera tanks opening fire. "We need to take out these chimera tanks. Those men are getting killed."

"How are we going to deal with those tanks? In case you haven't notice, we don't have a missile launcher or that tesla cannon of yours with us." Sydney clarified

Nicholas glanced down at the advanced projectile launcher near the minotaur's corpse. "Cover me! I'm going for that weapon launcher!" he exclaimed making a run for the advanced projectile rock-it launcher

Sydney's eyes widened at seeing Nick run out of cover. "Wha- Nick!" she fired a couple of shots before taking cover. "Shit!"

Charon shot a shell in the center of a minotaur's head, as he glanced at Sydney and asked. "Will you be alright here?"

Sydney nodded. "Yeah. I got this big guy over here watching my back." Sydney said, pointing her thumb as she referred to Fawkes

Fawke sent a strong fist to a faun's face, as the nose was broken before Fawke curb stomped the head of the enemy grunt. "I appreciate the compliment." he replied firing his gatling laser at the rest

Sydney smiled at the super mutant wielding gatling laser. "Anytime." she replied

Charon run out of cover, firing his combat shotgun at the attacking forces while Nicholas dived as he grabbed the projectile launcher. Nicholas motioned his hand for Charon to cover him. as his ghoul companion provided covering fire along with Fawkes and Sydney reigning down laser beams and gunfire. Fawkes received a shot on his forearm as Sydney tore off her black and blue jacket, wrapping a tie around it while she took cover. She pulled a frag grenade and tossed it toward the group of minotaurs and fauns, leaving them cause in a explosion as they were flying back. Once Nicholas had his hands touch the chamber, the blue highlights on the projectile launcher glowed as he quickly aimed it directly at the chimera tanks.

He opened fire as a sonic boom came out of the cannon, causing a shockwave that sent some fauns and satyrs flying away while those caught were dismembered before the tanks were destroyed. Sydney stared wide eyed at the launcher along with Nicholas and his group, as Nicholas suddenly heard the geiger counter on his pip-boy moving. He moved his pip-boy, left and right as it stopped when it reached the XM-32 assault rifle. Nicholas removed the clip of the rifle as he was detected tiny bits of radiation, low levels only.

"Holy. Shit."

"You, sir, have said it." Sydney replied in agreement with Nicholas, noticing the dismembered body parts laying near the destroyed chimera tanks. "Whatever that thing is, it packs one hell of a punch. Plus the weapons these guys have can put a number on the Brotherhood."

"Damn right." Charon agreed, taking the magazine clip Nicholas recently took. "I can also feel low level of radiation. Not harmful to humans as far as I can tell."

"My friend." Nicholas turned his attention to the friendly super mutant. "What should we do about the bodies?"

Before Nicholas could have a speak about the quest, a squad of Brotherhood of Steel paladins made their way to him and the group. "Knight Law. Steel be praised you came to our aid in the nick of time."

"At ease, paladin." Nicholas replied. "How many of you are there in Raven Rock right now?" he asked the paladin

"We've evacuated the entire personnel since the attack started. There was a scout we had that went to Fort Constantine because of reports that the Outcasts were there." the paladin explained. "But we found out from the scout that the entire Outcast, including Casdin himself have been wiped out. These creatures manage to kill them with the help of trogs. And they were smart, acting entirely like soldiers."

"Wait. Whatever attacked us manage to wipe out the Outcasts? Well, sounds like we're screwed." Sydney said

Nicholas pointed a dead faun, satyr, minotaur, and harpy. "Get those corpses to the Citadel, ASAP. Have Professor Blair from Alexandria examine them and see what he can since he's on the Citadel today."

the paladin saluted. "Understood."

a initiate ran toward Nicholas with bated breath. "Knight Law! Sir!"

"What is it, soldier?"

"I received word that Grayditch is being attacked by a skirmish." the initiate reported noticing the serious look on the Lone Wanderer's eyes

"What?" he queried in a growl. "When was this?" he demanded

"Six minutes ago. We have our remaining vertibirds ready."

Nicholas glanced at the paladin. "Head back the citadel. Tell Elder Lyons what happened here." he then turned his gaze to the initiate. "Initiate, you and the rest are with me."

"Sir!"

Grayditch. 0336 hours.

"Pride, cover the left flank!"

"Read you loud and clear, Sentinel!"

The Pride fired on the mysterious enemy, with the combination of laser fire and gauss rifle blasts. The harpies yelled out a screeching cry, as fauns and trogs opened fire leaving Lyon's Pride to take cover. The Pride have heard stories of the Scourge while the Brotherhood of Steel arrived at the Pitt before the Capital Wasteland, even Kodiak recalled the event himself. The trogs were violent and bloodthristy creatures, but they have never acted so intelligent before or show any skill in combat. Butch and Sarah were turning fauns, trogs, and minotaurs to piles of dust while a satyr pulled out a flaming sword and stabbed a wastelander in the heart and decapitated his head. His rolling head was covered in fire and blood, as Sarah shot the satyr's head with her laser rifle with Butch and Lyon's Pride covering her flank.

Andrew Cole fired his assault rifle left and right, shooting each trog in the head as a satyr began to charge him. He dove right into cover as the satyr opened fire with hot plasma, the burn marks on the wall he took cover in while he reloaded. He aimed his assault rifle, and shot the sternum and left chest of the satyr as it fell in a blood of his own blood. Then suddenly, Andrew heard a roar of a half brahmin and man as a minotaur tackled him to the ground. His vision was blurred for a second before a few wastelanders die. One was shot in the eyes by a faun, while another had his arms dismembered by a minotaur before it snapped his head. The minotaur that tackled Andrew lifted an ax, ready to chop off the vault dweller as a blade with an electric trim impaled on the minotaur's throat with a cloaked figure behind it. Andrew took it as an opportunity to move away and shoot the minotaur straight in the head, watching it fall in its own blood with Butch making his way when the battle was now over.

"Hey, Cole. You alright, man?"

Andrew panted out of breath as he looked at Butch. "I'm fine." he stared at the figure in front of him. "But who are you?"

The figure decloaked themselves in front of them, as the mysterious person was revealed as a woman in Chinese stealth armor. In her hand, she pulled out the sword which was also revealed to be Jingwei's shocksword as she sheathed it. Once the sword was back to its sheath, she pulled the mask off her face as Butch's eyes went wide with shock and surprise. He knew he would have to tell Nick, but he also knew he would not like it at all. Andrew's savior was Amata Almodovar clad in the stealth armor that hugged her body so well. A vertibird landed near the proximity as Nicholas step out of the VTOL along with Fawkes, Charon, and Sydney.

"I'll be damned. Thank you." Andrew said in gratitude

"Oh." Amata rubbed her arm as she looked away. "Thank you."

"Amata, what the hell? I told you to go back to the others. You could have gotten killed out here!"

Amata rolled her eyes. "Nick, I'm fine."

"I'll say." Sarah then turned her attention to Nick. "She can handle herself from the looks of it. She saved Andrew's life, he would have been dead if it wasn't for her."

"That's beside the-"

"Nick, her and the others have been under constant training for two years now." Sarah stated to the Lone Wanderer

"Training? What do you mean training?" Nicholas asked raising a quirked eyebrow

"A day after we left the Vault, the Brotherhood thought it would be best if they received some kind of training before heading out to the wastes." Butch explained. "I helped."

"That wasn't your call, Butch. That wasn't anyone's call to make when I was gone!" Nicholas exclaimed

"Well, you and Sarah were in a coma for two weeks. Plus I talked to Elder Lyons about it and he agreed. Besides, it wasn't just me who trained them." Butch said defending himself as he wiped the sweat off his face. "There were three of us that did it. Me, Jericho, and Star Paladin Cross."

Nicholas was taken aback of finding out that Star Paladin Cross helped the residents of Vault 101 to defend themselves. He was surprised that Jericho of all people would help, seeing how the former raider wanted nothing to do with anything. Butch was understandable because he wanted to help everyone in the Vault to be prepared, even Amata after she kicked Nicholas out of the vault again. Nicholas remembered the woman who watched him and his father when he was only a baby, to the last memory of Star Paladin Cross dying in his arms. After the mobile platform carrier in Adams Air Force was destroyed, Nicholas brought her body back to the citadel so they could have a proper burial and be with steel.

"Cross said to never tell you because she knew how you would react." Sarah stated. "She had Butch, me, and even my father to keep the truth away from you until it was time." she rested a hand on Nicholas' shoulder. "Could I talk to you, in private." Sarah and Nick moved away from the group, leaving the two alone to talk. "I know you disagreed with this, but you know as well as I do that they needed training. I saw Amata save Andrew from that beast during the skirmish. She's ready, and so is everyone else."

"Who else was trained besides Amata?" Nicholas asked her

"Christine Kendall, Susie Mack, Freddie Gomez, and Wally Mack." Sarah answered as Nicholas stared back at Amata, then back at Sarah. "You once told me that you would want them to know how to defend themselves, right? Those have been training to do so. Before she died, Cross said they were doing well in her last report of them. There was also a mention that they read some military books you had."

"What books?" Nicholas queried. "Did they read my military training book for Army, Air Force, Navy, or Marine?"

"Actually all four of them to be exact." Sarah mentioned. "Amata specialized in black ops training, covert operations and such. Susie received Navy seal training, especially her practice in submarines due to help from Vault 76's training simulation. Christine was having Air Force training in knowing how to being a pilot and paratrooper. Freddie was petitioned for Army Rangers training along with mechanics. And Wally, he volunteered for Marine Core training. They've been training inside the simulator for the past two years while you were away."

"So they haven't died? Since my experience with virtual simulator is that if I die in the simulation, I actually die."

"Cameron and Blair manage to work the safety protocols in the simulations." Sarah explained to Nicholas truthfully. "Besides, Vault 76 had something else more than training simulations. Modified M4 sherman tanks, half tracks, and jeeps armed with machine guns. We can even do with having minguns strapped to the motorcycles we found out in the Capital Wasteland."

Nicholas looked behind to the corpses of fauns, minotaurs, harpies, and satyrs. "I've seen what these things can do first hand. We need everything we can get to take these bastards down."

Sarah nodded her head. "Agreed. Which is why-"

"Sentinel Lyons! Knight Law!" both said person turned their attention to a initiate with her head on the hatch. "I received word that GNR has been taken!"

Sarah and Nicholas' eyes were widened in sudden shock. "What do you taken?"

"The Citadel caught a transmission from Galaxy News Radio. The personnel including Three Dog manage to evacuate before they were overwhelmed." she stated. "Their on their way to the Citadel now."

"Nick!" Butch shouted catching the Lone Wanderer's attention. "Turn your radio to Galaxy News!" he said as Nicholas did so along with Butch

" _Attention, people of the Capital Wasteland. I am Kronos, leader of the Nerospriodium. We have taken Galaxy News Radio and have set up our foothold over the D.C. Area. Your towns will not be safe. Your roads will not be safe. You will not be safe. The dawn of a new age has arise, and to anyone who defies us will meet the iron first of our strength. Which will let only option be available to you wastelanders. Submit to our rule and become our slaves or accept death."_ the message ended as Nicholas balled his hand to a fist

"Everyone to the Citadel!"

Citadel. 0402 hours.

Every Brotherhood of Steel going from scribe to knight as Elder Lyons was in the meeting room. With him were Scribes Rothchild, Peabody, Bodwitch, Vallincourt, and Jameson. The Lyon's Pride arrived minutes after, debating on what to do. David Cameron along with Professor Matthew Blair and Andrew Cole were presented.

"Are you saying we can't even get to DC?" Dusk blurted out. "We can't let those bastards get the upper hand on us!"

"I am afraid they already have." Rothchild said regretfully

"Rothchild, explain." Owyn Lyons said, demanding an explanation

Rothchild brought out a holographic display of DC, courtesy of technology from Mothership Zeta itself. "The Nerospriodium have the entire DC area surrounding by energy fields. There is also the fact that they anti-air cannons taking out our vertibirds whenever we attempt to reach the DC areas."

"I've already collected enough holo-tags to confirm the lost we have for those attempts." Scribe Jameson said

"Not to mention they have plasma weaponry. Chimera tanks, along with weapons and vehicles we have never encountered before." Peabody stated. "Plutonium depleted bullets that cause radiation poisoning to their enemy, killing them slowly and painfully. Sonic boom cannon weapons that rival the power of a tesla cannon, and heavy weaponry with the power of missiles. We are unsure if they have flight capabilities."

"In the meantime, we have our defenses prepared coming from Grayditch to here on the Citadel." Bowditch added. "As of now, there's bases set up in Mama Dolice's setting as a weapons manufacturing plant and Alexandria Arms motel for Cameron's forces."

"As for the Nerospriodium species, I believe have something on that." Blair stated. "With your permission of course."

Cameron nodded his head to the doctor. "Very well. Go on ahead, Blair." he said

"After careful autopsy of examining their organs and tissue, I have discovered something about them after incineration." he started. "Their skin tissue, muscle tissue, even those brain patterns have been altered. This seems to be due to the work of a modified FEV and evolved strain of TDC in their blood." he explained seeing the shocked expression of the Brotherhood of Steel

"You're saying the Forced Evolutionary Virus and Troglodyte Degeneration Contagion are the cause of the Nerospriodium?" Andrew inquired. "How is that even possible?"

"The modified version of FEV seems to be what the Lone Wanderer received from Eden, but only manipulated and heavily altered through an unknown blood I don't know of." Blair stated as the genetic structure of unknown blood and strains of TDC and FEV inside one of the dead bodies. "Whatever it is, it seems to make them act territorial, show enhanced physical attributes, and function intelligently. The toxins and pollutants in the TDC have the Forced Evolutionary Virus adapt and combine with the contagion itself."

"Then the Nerospriodium need to be stopped before they take the Wasteland immediately." Elder Owyn Lyons declared

"To do that, we would need something that can be undetected from their sensors." Sarah reminded them wearing a tank top, blue fatigue pants, and black military boots. "We need a way to be undetected in order to take out the energy fields and those cannons shooting down our vertibirds."

Nicholas paced back and forth for an idea, until he came to a stop as he said. "I might have something that can get through undetected."

Elder Lyon's interest was peeked by the Lone Wanderer. "Well, let's hear it Knight Law."

"You are right. If they detect our vertibirds, they get shot out of the sky with no attempt to retake the DC areas at all." Nicholas took control of the projector to show a submarine out in Point Lookout. "Which is why I plan on using this. I have a SSN-37-1A Chinese spy submarine from Point Lookout that I've obtained and have out in the river above Arefu. I already have it repaired and ready for use."

Elder Lyons stared at the vault dweller knight with his hands together. "What do you propose?"

"I take a team with me inside the submarine to shut down out those energy fields and take out those cannons." Nicholas offered. "Once that's done. We can have troops and BOS came in for the charge."

"All in favor of Knight Law's plan?"

"I." all said

"All opposed?" Lyon inquired as everyone remained silent. "Very well, then." he gazed at Nicholas as he stood up from his seat. "Knight Law, your request is granted. Gather your team and prepare."

"Yes, Elder." he replied as everyone left the meeting room. "But first, I need to do one last thing."

Nicholas made his way to the broadcasting room where Three Dog sat near a radio, as the Lone Wanderer heard the broadcaster began.

" _This is Three Dog! AEEEOOOWWWW! Now coming to you live from a secure location outside of D.C. As y'all may have heard, Old Three Dog's been forced to leave Galaxy News Radio in a vicious attack. Not by raiders, even super mutants, but something else entirely. I know, I know! You can't believe this shit happened, hell, neither can I. As you now know, children."_

" _Our new players and baddies in the Capital Wasteland known as the Nerospriodium have taken over the entire DC area, even winning a fight against the Brotherhood of Steel and they ain't happy about it. However; that's not the only faction they encountered, and fought against. The Neros have also taken out all of Talon company and possibly every raider and slaver in the wastes. Hell, they've even wiped out the Outcasts in the process. And all of this old Three Dog all worried."_ Three Dog paused as he saw the Lone Wanderer standing beside him as he sat down with him. _"Hold on a minute, kiddies. We have the Messiah himself, the Lone Wanderer with us now. You have anything to say to the people of the Wasteland, Mr. 101?"_

" _To anyone listening, this is the Lone Wanderer. The Nerospriodium would like to make you think that they've want. Well guess what? They haven't won, not by a long shot. They declared war on us. The people of the Capital Wasteland and expect us to surrender. But we won't surrender. The Neros want to display brute force and fear. We'll display strength and courage against them! We will fight. We will fight with every fiber in our being and not give up. And Kronos, this one is for you. If you want a war, you've damn well found one. To people of the Capital Wasteland, pick up arms and fight! Fight for freedom! Fight for your lives! And fight for the Wasteland! Because on this day, the Militia Armed Resistance Coaliation is born! Composed of both MARC and Brotherhood of Steel, we will face this new enemy and we will rise up against this threat! We will stand our ground and fight the good fight!"_

The sudden roars of cheering were heard through the halls of the Citadel, as initiates, paladins, and knights chanting "Lone Wanderer" inside the citdael and outside the bailey. Charon, the ghoul bodyguard of the Lone Wanderer had his arms crossed as he nodded his head of his master's speech. The supermutant companion Fawkes only nodded, after hearing his friend's confident speech and declaration on the Nerospriodium. Sydney rolled her eyes and smirked at her friend's message to the people of the Capital Wasteland. Butch laughed as he combed his hair, having his tri-beam laser rifle in hand. The canine companion of the Lone Wanderer known as Dogmeat howled as Amata petted the dog's head gently. She only shook her head while Sarah Lyons merely rolled her eyes at the vault dweller's speech.

"I knew he was too confident." she said

"Who?" she glanced down to see Amata. "You mean Nick?"

"He's well enough for being confident when I first met him." Sarah replied. "Whether it was fighting the Enclave, or stopping the vault 87 super mutants, he'd still somehow manages to get the upper hand."

"That's Nick for you." Amata joked earning a laugh from Sarah

"And again, I think you're ready." Sarah said to Amata. "You and those four have spent the last two years in virtual simulators training. Now the question is: Do you think you're ready for a fight?"

Amata looked up at Sarah Lyons with a brave look on her face and answered. "Yes. I'm ready for what's to coming."

Sarah smiled extending her hand, leaving Amata to shake hers with Sarah's as she said. "That's the answer I was hoping for. Welcome to the good fight, Amata."


	3. Call to Arms

**This chapter may contain nudity and sexual contact. Any under 18 not permitted and allowed.**

 **As always please read, review, and enjoy!**

Chapter 3: Call to Arms

Lyon's Quarters. 1030 hours.

"Remember the infirmary room after we defeated the Enclave?" Sarah asked between kisses from the Lone Wanderer

A smile formed as he kissed her neck, hearing the sound of her expressing a moan."How could I not? Remember kicking Sawbones out leaving just the two of us. We deserved some alone time for ourselves."

"Like right now." she concluded as they began to take their clothes off

Sarah and Nicholas started pleasuring themselves orally, going from his mouth tasting her entrance to her sucking his dick after taking their clothes. Once their oral sessions stopped as they faced each other, they began kissing each other passionately touching every part of their bodies. He started kissing her neck hearing a moan escape from her lips. His hands trailed down from her back to her firm apple bottom, squeezing both cheeks as he lifted Sarah up and have her sat on the desk nearby. Sarah's lips once again made contact Nicholas's as he slowly inserted his member inside her, proceeding to kiss her afterward. He thrust into Sarah in a slow and embracing pace as her groans became louder before turning into moans of pleasure. Her hands grasp his ass through every thrust which began to sped in pace after pace. Sarah then wrapped her legs around his back as he fell on the bed, leaving her hands to be on his chest. She bobbed her body down his dick, his hands remaining on her waist before going up squeezing supple breasts. The more he thrust the more she moaned as Nicholas felt himself closer to his climax. In one last thrust, he erupted himself as his seed went inside her leaving Nicholas to sat up kissing her. Once he softened inside her, Sarah pulled out as she rested her head on his chest.

"Tomorrow. We're at war."

"All that matters is if we win. And we will win."

"I know. But there will be casualties. The question is how many."

"The only thing we can do is hope for the best. But also plan for the worst if we lose."

"That won't happen." Sarah leaned in and kissed his lips once more. "Micah, i love you." she said calling him by his real name.

"I know." he said kissing her back as they crept into a sleeping embrace

Arefu. 0439 hours.

Butch Deloria stood watching the team the Lone Wanderer assembled for him on the away mission as he crossed his arms. There was Amata Almodovar, wearing a leather armor equipped with a infiltrator assault rifle behind her back while holding her metal helmet. .45 auto sub-machine guns were an optional weapon of choice for them as well. The helmet itself was composed of a sensor system and heads-up display inside it. Susie Mack were also clad in their light leather armor just like Amata, her metal helmet in hand and her silenced assault rifle strapped behind her. Reinforced and enhanced with one long sleeved black leather jacket, where men who wore them had motorcycle chaps and football pads. The women of the black ops on the other hand, also lacked a left sleeve and football shoulder pads. Andrew Cole had on his leather armor as he held his .45 auto sub-machine gun in his hand, while his metal helmet was being held by his other hand.

The metal helmets were in the shape of a motorcycle helmet, only with a silver color instead of white. Wally Mack, along with Freddie Gomez and Christine Kendall were in their standard issued combat armor. Short-sleeved, having only the shoulder pads and chest plates covering the torso along with the forearm guards. The helmet itslef was olive drab covered and carried the shape of a PASGT kevlar helmet. The three commandos had their type 93 Chinese assault rifles. They carried a few frag grenades in their pouches along with magazine clips and a canteen. Charon stood beside Butch while they were behind the SSN-37-1A spy submarine, as the Lone Wanderer wore Brotherhood of Steel prototype tesla armor only more agile fitted with two small tesla coils. He held in his hand a gauss rifle Nicholas retrieved from a weapons vault at Bailey's crossroads while Charon carried two tesla cannons on his shoulders.

"You're probably wondering why I brought you all here." Butch said, breaking the long silence that filled the area. "Nicky's been told that you five have been training in both real life, and virtual simulations for the past two years while he was away. He brought me along to make sure you get the job done"

"I'm surprised you didn't notice." Wally Mack said in sarcasm as Butch slightly glared but merely ignored the comment

"Colonel Daniels and Major Long have both informed me on your position in MARC, knowing that there are two positions from both Commandos and Black Ops." the former Tunnel Snake continued. "For the Commandos, there is the Tactical Rapid Assault Force, TRAF and Enforcers. For the Black Ops, there is the Shadowfax and Taskmasters." Butch slightly glanced at his former childhood bully victim and old girlfriend of the Lone Wanderer. "Amata Almovodar, you are in the Shadowfax." he glanced at Susie. "Susie Mack, you are signed in the Taskmasters." he then looked at Andrew and Freddie. "Andrew Cole, you're in both the Shadowfax and Taskmasters. Freddie Gomez, with the Tactical Rapid Assault Force." he then gazed at Christine. "Christine Kendall, even though you are a pilot, you're in the TRAF when required." he lastly glanced at Wally. "And Wally Mack, you are in the Enforcers."

"So now that you've listed everyone's position in the Commandos and Black Ops, what's the mission?" Andrew asked

Butch pointed his thumb back at the submarine behind him. "Since those energy fields are keeping anyone from going in or out of the D.C. area, we are going to use this submarine to sneak in since the cannons the Neros have will blast our birds out of the sky. I have Captain Thomas who has a team of his own operating the sub and can also help Susie intercept what any bogeys on the sonar." he stated as everyone stared at Susie for a second, before looking back at Butch. "Nick's plan is to sneak in underwater with this submarine to meet up with Paladin Tristan of the Brotherhood of Steel and what remains of those that escaped GNR at that time. He and a fire team of my choosing will be the distraction. While we distract the Nerospriodium, another team will disable the energy field and shut down the cannons taking out our vertibirds so our troops can enter the DC area safely."

"Then by a couple of hours, the Brotherhood of Steel and MARC can arrive in force to take back D.C." Amata added as she received a nod from Andrew. "What happens after we shut down the energy fields and cannons?"

"We head over to Rivet city for the time being after the mission is accomplished. Receiving rest and relaxation until next mission." Andrew responded, as the submarine hatch opened revealing Captain Thomas who had a muttonstache on his face.

"Everyone aboard." the brown haired man said

The team got inside the SNN-37-1A submarine, as the hatch closed on their way in before it descended into the river. The submarine moved forward to the extraction point near Jefferson Memorial as Susie kept her eyes steady on the radar, while her brother Wally was loading a magazine clip. Christine sat down reading a book of the Pre-War times, but stared closely at Charon before he would notice as she went back to her book. Freddie was twirling his thumbs waiting to arrive at the meet-up point, while Andrew loading his .45 sub-machine gun and Chinese assault rifle for the mission. Amata on the other hand, noticed Butch heading over to the kitchen as he took a small cereal box of sugar bombs from the small fridge. He took a bite out of it and stared at a photo of the Lone Wanderer and Sarah Lyons together. He remembered because he was the one that took the picture. Amata looked closer and saw both of them holding hands in the picture, with the setting of it being outside a couple of miles while had a sign that said: "Vault 87 entrance that way!". Amata crossed her arms and slightly looked away, until she walked toward him.

"So..." she started, trailing off while shyly looking away. "That's him and Sarah, huh?" she suddenly asked. "Are they..."

"They look like just friends to me." Butch answered to Amata

"You know what I mean."

"Jealous much?"

"Butch..." she trailed off

"I don't know, alright?" Butch admitted to Amata. "After he went in to turn the purifier during the fight with the Enclave, an energy spike knocked both Nick and Sarah unconscious. I was there when it happened."

Amata leaned over the counter with a near concerned look on her face. "How long were they out of their comas?"

"Two weeks." Butch answered taking a chug of water in his mouth. "Nothing to worry about. She woke up six days later before we destroyed the Enclave's mobile platform carrier. When he had set the satellite missile launch to Adams Air Force, a vertibird landed near us and there she was." a smile crept on his face. "When I looked at him, he was smiling."

"It looks like ever since he was the first one out on the wasteland, he's made quite the name for himself." Amata said. "A well accomplished legend of the Wastes for him if he was here for me to tell him." she complimented

"I'll tell him you said that."

"Can I ask you a question?" Amata asked as Butch nodded his head in reply. "How did those two first meet?"

"Well, from how he told me, it started off like this..." Butch trailed off, recalling the story Nick told him when he first met Sarah

Flashback. Two years ago.

Chevy Chase north, 0414 hours. September 1, 2277.

 _Nicholas step out of the Tennely/Friendship station of Chevy Chase north, wearing his tunnel snake leather jacket with his vault jumpsuit underneath. He went up the steps as he walked over to the one-man preservation shelter, suddenly hearing a beeping sound causing him to look down. He saw it was a frag mine as he ran out of the way when it exploded, cautiously walking back to the shelter before he opened it. Inside, there were three purified waters as he detected no radiation from them while he grabbed them and put them in his duffle bag. He took out his assault rifle, holding it in his hands checking his surrounding as he walked forward with his finger near the trigger._

 _After he had helped Lucy West deliver a note to her family and helping Moira around on her survival guide book she was working on. When Nicholas had took the trip to Arefu, he found out the town was afraid of a group known as the Family. The first house he went to check on was the home of the West family, he found out horribly that Lucy's mother and father were dead. There were bite marks on their necks as their bodies were nearly sucked dry, but her brother Ian was nowhere to be seen leaving Nicholas to think the Family had taken him. The town was in a uproar, with Karen Schenzy demanding that the town mayor Evan King to do something about them. Ben Ewer waited to him and his wife to leave the town, but felt ashamed of leaving a home he built. Coming up with a solution, Nicholas suggested to Evan King that he would head to the Family's home in the Meresti station. Once a ghoul scientist on creating SuperJet revealed information about a secret entrance in a manhole near his work station, Nicholas went there and found the Family's location._

 _When he reached the Meresti station that was were he found Vance, who was the leader of the Family. Vance asked him things or saying that started with: the hunter that bathes in sand to hide from the sun, and creature of the night, where Nicholas came to the conclusion that the Family were either vampires or mimicking their ways. It turned out they were a specific kind of mutants that feed on blood, and so did Ian when Vance told Nicholas of what truly happened in the West's home. Like the Family, Ian had the thirst of blood that drove him crazy and made him kill his parents. The revelation set Nicholas aback upon finding out the truth of what happened in Arefu. Most of all, he had a feeling Ian was feeling worse after realizing he killed his own parents when the Thirst set from within him._

 _Nicholas went over and talked to Ian about how Vance found out he was one of them, trying to know how he first came to him. Ian explained when he was a kid, he and Lucy would throw rocks on the river for fun. That was when a wastelander came to take one of their brahmin as Ian told the man to stop. Long story short, Ian had tore the man's throat open with his own teeth. And whenever the hungry for blood would kick in, Lucy would always hold him tight and never let go. When Lucy had left, the hungry grew worse and got him to kill his own mother and father. There was even a part of him that made Ian would to pull away from his parent's corpses. In the end, Vance took him under his wing and welcomed him to the Family while the members of his flock came into town to feed as they fed on the blood of Ian's parents instead._

 _After a long train of thought, Nicholas decided to let Ian stay with the Family and let Vance know of his decision. During the talk of Ian's decision, Nicholas discussed the matter of Arefu before proceeding any further into the conversation until a solution was compromised. Arefu would donate bloodpacks for the Family to take, and in exchange they would left the town alone. Before Nicholas left Meresti, he gave Ian a letter from his sister Lucy to let him know she still cared about her little brother. He thanked her and began his new life with the Family, even receiving intense training from Vance and the Family to defend himself while taught in their ways._

 _Nicholas jolted back into reality as he sudden heard a noise, crouching down and heading toward another preservation shelter. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a couple of armed supermutants as he prepared to open fire on one of them. Then suddenly, the supermutants were met with gunfire and beams of red light attacking as Nicholas looked to the direction of the cause getting a closer look. There was people in armored suits firing laser rifles with one firing an assault rifle instead as Nicholas looked back to the supermutants that were killed from the ambush. At that point, he believed he could continue to head to Galaxy News Radio in order to speak with Three Dog on the whereabouts of his father._

" _That's how we do it in the Lyons' Pride, you fucking freaks!" one of them with a muffled female voice exclaimed proudly_

 _The one who had his face exposed with a hood glanced at the female in the suit of armor. "Initiate, check. You'll have your fill of death soon enough."_

" _Yes, sir. Won't happen again." she replied as Nicholas stood out of cover when the initiate noticed him walking by. "Well, this is something."_

" _Is this the idiot that blew our ambush, Vargas?"_

" _Looks that way." one of them answered, leading to be Vargas himself_

" _I don't know who you are, but you don't belong here." said a voice right of Nicholas, as he looked to see who it was. The direction of the voice was revealed to be a woman with her blonde tied back in a bun and sapphire blue eyes. She was in a suit of armor which had a coat of arms on the left shoulder pad. It had a lion imposed over the upper sword blade, inside the span of the wings. The initiate had a coat of arms which had a winged sword with cog wheels, around and behind the sword blade. "The super mutants have overrun our brothers in the Galaxy News Radio station and we're heading to back them up. You can tag along if you want. But keep your head down and try not to do anything... something."_

 _Nicholas only shrugged his shoulders as he continue to walk by her. "Thanks for the assist. I'll be more careful next time. So I'll just be..."_

 _He felt a hand grab his shoulder as he looked back to the woman with blonde hair. "Have you been living under a rock?" she said with a stern look_

" _You'd be surprised by where I use to live." Nicholas merely joked as the woman shook her head_

" _This is D.C. The entire city is crawling with Super Mutants. Now if you'll excuse me..." she let him go and proceeded to move, only for Nicholas to grip her hand as weapons were trained on him_

" _Who the hell are you people?" he asked her_

" _My name is Sarah Lyons, sentinel and squad commander of Lyons' Pride. We're with the Brotherhood of Steel." Sentinel Lyons saw Nicholas raised a confused look. "Don't worry. We're on your side, at least I hope so." she said as Nicholas released his grasp of Lyons._

" _Did you mention something about GNR just recently?"_

" _There aren't a lot of safe places in the area, but Galaxy News Radio acts like our port in the storm. Unfortunately, the building has been hit pretty badly." Sentinel Lyons stated. "We're their back-up, so if there aren't anymore questions, we really need to move."_

 _Nicholas nodded his head in reply. "Lead the way." he said as he followed Sentinel Lyons_

" _Reddin, on me." Vargas told the initiate as pushed forward up, then heading right to find a dead comrade laying on a bed while another aimed his weapon_

" _What's the situation?" Sentinel asked as Nicholas found out the other Brotherhood of Steel soldier took a shot at a incoming super mutant_

" _All clear, Sentinel." the soldier stated. "Five mutants released from their torment. The rest are keeping their heads down."_

" _Good." Sarah stared at the corpse of the Brotherhood member. "Jennings?"_

" _Negative." Vargas responded as the sniper looked at Nicholas_

" _A new recruit?"_

" _Just a stray we picked up. The one who that blundered into the Uglies, over on 42nd." Lyons replied, referring to the Super mutants_

" _Welcome!"_

" _Hey." Nicholas said to him_

" _All right. It's the usual drill." Sarah glanced over her shoulder at the initiate. "Reddin, you just do whatever Paladin Vargas says and keep your mouth shut." she ordered_

" _Yes, Ma'am."_

 _Lyons' Pride pushed on down to the school building as two super mutants came off firing hunting rifle while two more were on the second floor. The Pride took cover and opened fire while one of the super mutants were down, as Nicholas fired his assault rifle at the mutant on the left broken window of the second floor. He took cover while waiting for the right moment to fire back as the super mutant on the right window of the second floor, firing three bullets into its head. Once inside the building, they took out as many super mutants as they could. Nicholas and Sarah fired bullets and laser at the mutants, with Lyons' Pride moping up the rest of remaining super mutants. They were twenty super mutant brutes outside, firing at the Brotherhood of Steel soldiers stationed in GNR as Nicholas and the Pride opening fire on them._

 _Nicholas cooked a grenade for three seconds before tossing it near a super mutant as it exploded, taking a leg in the process while Nicholas took out another mutant. Three super mutants opened fire on him as he took cover by the fountain, reloading his assault rifle with Lyons' Pride shooting them down with laser fire. Nicholas brought his head up to see every super mutant was down on the ground or turned into a pile of ash as he got out of his cover as made his way to the steps leading inside GNR. He pressed a button on the intercom, seeing if anyone was alive and inside the Galaxy News Radio station._

" _Hello? Anyone in there?" Nicholas yelled out_

" _Door stays close until we secure the permiter."_

" _Guess so." Nicholas muttered as he took a sip of non-radiated bottled water, until he suddenly felt the ground shake along with a loud non-human roar. "What the fuck?"_

" _Reddin! Get out of there, now!"_

 _Then suddenly, a massive super mutants 25 foot tall charged through the blockade of buses that surrounded the area. It was covered in a collection of skulls around its neck, carrying a pole stuck to a fire hydrant at the end of it. Nicholas' eyes widened in sudden horror as the behemoth slammed its fire hydrant club at a couple of BOS soldiers, with one sent flying back to a wall while another's head popped off. Both bullets and laser blasts were hitting the giant, but it was not going down as Nicholas spotted a dead BOS soldier with a fatman launcher beside him on the fountain. He ran toward as the behemoth charged at him, leaving the lone Vault Dweller to roll away from a hit with its fire hydrant club while the rest of the Brotherhood and Lyons' Pride kept firing. Nicholas took the fatman and armed it with a mini-nuke as he backed away, heading to where the behemoth came from._

" _Hey, you! Big, tall, and stupid!" he shouted as the behemoth set its sights on him. "Come on. Come at me! Come at me, you giant punk-ass bitch!"_

 _The behemoth roared and charged at Nicholas as he stayed on one knee, taking aim while using the fatman. He took aim, breathing in and pulled the trigger, as the mini nuke flew out and hit the behemoth in the head. The head blew into pieces upon impact as the behemoth's body fell down on the ground shaking. Nicholas went over to the upper body to find the behemoths head was gone, as he had confirmed that the mini nuke did its job on the super mutant behemoth. He took out whatever the behemoth had on him with a couple more frag grenades, combat knife, and ammo for his assault rifle. Nicholas waved his hand back to let Sarah know that it was dead for good as he walked away from its corpse, setting the items he collected in his duffle bag._

" _This duffle bag will have to do the trick until I get a backpack." Nicholas said as he walked over to Sarah who was with a grief-stricken Paladin Vargas_

" _It wasn't your fault, Vargas. Reddin was good enough in the Pride, and she deserved it." she told him_

 _Vargas sighed. "Yeah, I know." he slammed his fist on the bench he sat on. "God dammit!" he swore_

" _When we get back to the Citadel, I'll talk to the scribes." Sarah said as Paladin Vargas stood up from the bench. "Let it be chronicled that Paladin Reddin passed her test."_

" _C'mon. Let's see what they got to drink in this dump." Vargas said_

 _Sarah glanced back at Nicholas who drunk the bottled water in his possession. "I'll be in there in a second." she replied to Vargas as she made her way to Nicholas. "I guess it's my turn to thank you." she said exhausted. "Anyway, the station is secure. So you can talk to Three Dog if you want."_

" _Don't worry about it." Nicholas said to her. "I'm sorry about friend, Reddin."_

" _She died well. In the end, that's all that matters."_

" _How did you guys find this place?"_

" _Well, the Brotherhood needed a secure outpost and the guy needed to not get his head ripped open by super mutants." she stated nonchalantly. "It's a mutual beneficial relationship. Three Dog is the man in charge around in GNR. He's... interesting, I'll give him that much."_

 _Nicholas chuckled. "I guess I'll find out for myself when I get inside, then."_

" _Good luck with that." Sarah responded in a laugh_

Flashback end.

"Attention all passengers of S.S. Swordfish, we have reached the meet-up point near Jefferson Memorial." Captain Thomas said on the intercom radio. "Everyone off, and godspeed to you."

"I guess it's time." Amata said

"That it is." Butch stared at the team as he armed his tri-beam laser rifle. "You have your orders and know what to do. We link up with Paladin Tristan and the rest of remaining BOS. The fire squad goes with me to help the Brotherhood. We'll distraction them while the other team shuts down both the energy field and artillery guns. Andrew, you're the leader of the other team charged with shutting down the energy field and disabling those artillery guns."

"Whose on your team?" Andrew asked

"Wally, Freddie, and Christine." Butch answered

"Then that leaves me with Charon, Amata, and Susie." the vault dweller of 76 replied, receiving a nod from Butch. "Once you get their attention, we'll do our job and take care of those fields and shut down their artillery."

"No, no way. No chance in hell." Wally Mack refused

"This isn't for debate, Mack." Butch said. "Follow orders."

"I don't give a shit. You're not sending my sister out there!" Wally exclaimed

"I can assure you that we will look out for her." Andrew reassured

Wally scoffed. "Like I'm suppose to trust you."

"Wally!" Susie hissed at her brother

"He's a vault dweller just like us." Amata added. "That and we have Charon. If he's look out for Nick, we'll be-"

"This is the same 'friend' of yours that invaded the vault!" Wally snapped as Butch punched him across the jaw

"Is that what you really think?" Butch shouted. "You are a fucking idiot! You know that?! You would stay in the vault where it's safe? Let me tell you something, Wally, you're not safe. Even if you stay the Neros would have found the vault and take everyone as their slaves or worse. So, do the world a favor and listen to this. This world does not care whether you goddamn like or it!"

Charon suddenly walked over to Wally. "Listen here, smoothskin. If you don't get your head in the game, you're already dead. This is war, kid. Get use to it." the ghoul saw a beaming light turn for a second. "Butch Deloria. They are here."

Butch noticed the light as well. "Yeah. I see them. Let's move out." he ordered

Lyons' quarters, Citadel. 0531 hours.

A leg moved out of the bed sheets, as a pip-boy light shine on his face before the Lone Wanderer opened his eyes. He got up from his bed and stared at his reflection in the mirror, as he unlocked a locker which carried power armor. However; this was no regular Brotherhood of Steel power armor as it was a modified version of the t-51b series which was fit to be agile in every part of the suit. He sat up the power armor with a still that was about to hold the armor parts together. The armor was composed of regular power armor, Enclave hellfire armor, and Ashur's power armor from the Pitt. Nicholas closed his eyes at the sudden memory of the Pitt where he was caught between Ashur and his former right-hand man Wernher.

Wernher and his contact Midea orchestrated a plan to kidnap Ashur's daughter, Marie. A baby girl with an immunity to TDC, possibly being a cure in the end for the people of the Pitt. Tom Holden, and his wife Mary were with Nicholas went he traveled to the Pitt themselves as they had to fit in as slaves. From what they saw, the Pitt itself was not scorched from the fires and destruction from the nuclear bombs that hit the country in the Pre-War times. Once Nicholas risked his life from retrieving steel ingots while avoiding to be killed by Trogs and surviving the Pitt arena, he finally had the acquaintance of Ashur. At that point, Nicholas never knew that a single baby was the cure of TDC. Wernher told him the cure was merely a 'package', but after finding out it was only a mere infant he decided to broker a truce between the raiders of the Pitt and the slaves. But the plan had quickly backfired when Wernher let loose the Trogs upon the entire Pitt, leaving Nicholas to give Marie to Tom and Mary after the child's parents died in the chaos. The chaos ended when Nicholas left Wernher as a cripple before the Lone Wanderer freed the slaves, leaving the bridge to detonate and the Pitt forever stranded away from the Wastes.

A door knock was heard as Nicholas said. "Come on." the door opened to reveal Sarah Lyons in her Lyons' Pride armor. "Is it time?"

"Just got the word from Tristan. The shield is down."

"Good, good."

Sarah walked up to him with a worried look. "Hey." she pressed her hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright, Nick?"

Nicholas touched her hand with his as he replied. "I'm okay."

"We'll win this war." Sarah planted a brief kiss on his cheek. "You won't fall. I know you'll get us all there."

"We'll find out."

An hour later, Nicholas strapped on his Recon power armor as he step out of his room holding a gauss rifle in his hand. Every BOS soldier from initiate-in-training and scribes, saluted the Lone Wanderer and Lyons' Pride off on their mission to D.C. Even the children of Little Lamplight such as Knick-Knack, his sister Knock-Knock, and all the others stood out their waving them off Citadel gate opened with vertibirds stand at the ready, as Nicholas and the rest of Lyons' Pride saw the battle in the distance where the Coalition fought against their enemy. Six vertibirds carrying a squad of BOS knights and paladins flew off heading to the battle, as a Brotherhood of Steel initiate ran toward Nicholas with a look of urgency on his look.

"Knight Law, sir!"

"What is it, Initiate..."

"Winston, sir. I have word that a ghoul name Roy Phillips wants to speak to you." Winston stated. "Also, word from Reilly's Rangers that they required your assistance at her base in Seward Square."

Nicholas raised an eyebrow at the mention of Roy Phillips and Reilly. "Tell Roy he'll have to wait."

Roy Phillips and his group arrived behind the initiate. "You're the one I need to talk to, smoothskin." Roy said as weapons were aimed on him and his group, with the group of ghouls doing the same

"Weapons down." Nicholas ordered. "They're on our side." he turned his gaze at the ghoul who lead the settlement in Tenpenny Tower. "Are you?"

Roy shifted his glance at the Brotherhood, before looking back at Nicholas and said. "Hear me out and we are." he received a nod from the Lone Wander as a grin crept on his face. "We got a radio transmission from ghoul fighting against these Nerospriodium bastards since they overtook the D.C. Ruins. They looking to join force with you and the Coaliation."

"Do they have a name?"

"They call themselves Fate's Insurgency." Roy answered. "I have no idea who the hell leads them, but you're gonna need all the help you can get."

"I take it they're somewhere in D.C.?"

"They sent out a messenger to all ghouls who would to join the fight. They got a base in this paper in my hand." Roy stated as Nicholas looked down at the paper, only for Roy to keep it in his grip. "Before I do, I want to know if we have a deal."

Nicholas looked at Sarah, who nodded her head as he stared back at Roy. "You got yourself a deal." he said extending his hand

Roy shook his hand in return. "Good. See ya in D.C." he replied as they got a gator boat from the Coaliation

"Think we can trust him?"

"We'll see where this goes with the Insurgency. But first..." Nicholas trailed off, making his way inside the vertibirds along with Sarah and the Pride as it flew away. "We need to help out Reilly and the Rangers. Vertibirds Lance and Arthur, form up with Angela. We're heading to Seward Square."

Seward Square, D.C. 0700 hours.

The Nerospriodium were losing fawns and trogs, gun turrets near the compound of Reilly's Rangers Headquareters as sprayed bullets at them from two Rangers opening fire. The heavy weapons expert Brick with her military hairstyle kept firing at trogs using her mingun, Eugene as they scattered into cover. One of the new recruits from Big town, Flash reloaded his assault rifle while he took cover as a satyr fired a plasma caster with Flash firing back his weapon. All of a sudden, a bullet was launched into the back of a minotaur's skull as Flash glanced up to see Bittercup up on a roof after the beast dropped its sonic weapon. She had her hair over the shoulders, as she kept picking them up one-by-one while she looked back to notice more of them. Accompanying her was accompanied by her current lover Timebomb, hence the name being a demolitions expert due to training from the Lone Wanderer when he saved Big Town.

Timebomb rubbed the hair of his curly dark hair as he stared down with his hazel eyes. "Look at them. They're so scattered out here." he said to his girlfriend

"The Coaliation must have did a number on them. Look at them, they're like puppets moving back and forth!" Bittercup taunted. "Dance for me, puppets! Dance!"

"One of the creepiest things you have ever said today." Timebomb muttered, detonating the charge down the alley

A chain of explosions erupted in the alley, and another section of the area as scorched bodies of the Nerospriodium were away in the air for only a brief second before descending. Their corpse were to a crisp as Bittercup and Timebomb looked down to where the burning bodies had laid.

"Did you put too much explosives in?" she asked

"No, of course not. At least I'm sure of it."

They felt air blow their hair as Bittercup and Timebomb looked up to see a vertibirds hovering their direction as it descended into the ground. Bittecup kept her sniper rifle trained on the vertibird that landed, using her scope to see if it was friend or foe. She received her answer when she noticed the symbol of the Brotherhood of Steel, as she lowered her weapon along with Timebomb doing the same. The Lone Wanderer step out with his helmet off as Sarah Lyons and Lyons' Pride got off the vertibird as well. At that moment, Reilly herself walked up to the Lone Wanderer with a smile on her face as she shook his hand.

"About time you got here. You almost missed all the fun." she said

Nicholas chuckled. "Have we have?"

"Let's go inside. We can talk there."

Nicholas followed Reilly inside her base at Rangers HQ, as Sarah followed beside him while the Pride stayed behind to look after the vertibird. Inside was where Nicholas spotted Pappy loading weapons as the Rangers' quartermaster, receiving a nod from the shaggy haired man. He saw Kimba, who served their recon specialist as her wounded arm was being treated by Red with both dark skinned women being in a room where Dusty was over by the radio. Nick also spotted Ted Strayer loading shells into a shotgun, which surprised him that the stoner from Rivet City was with the Rangers. Donovan was repairing a sentry bot to be a guard from his and Ted's shift after Brick and Flash were finished with theirs. Nicholas and Sarah followed Reilly into a room where Butcher sat down by the monitors, as Reilly pulled up a couple of chairs for her and Nick to sit while Sarah only leaned on a wall.

"So what can I do for ya?"

"Two things. One: I want you guys as allies in our fight with the Nerospriodium." he stated

"Sounds good to me." Reilly replied. "Those bastards tried to kill ever since they covered D.C. What's the second thing?"

"Do you know of a ghoul resistance called Fate's Insurgency?" Nicholas asked the leader of the Rangers

Reilly's ears perked to the mention of the group in D.C. "I have, actually. They're a bunch of ghouls who took the Nerospriodium's uprising as an insult to them after the neros took D.C. I don't know who leads them, but you won't be able to get to them." she added. "The neros have the people they captured in check. Not to mention they know all about you and the Brotherhood of Steel."

"We'll need two people just to sneak over their defenses and find the Insurgency." Sarah added

"I think I know they won't suspect." Nicholas said as he set up the communication frequency on his Pip-boy. "Andrew, are you there?"

" _I'm here, Nick. What do you need?"_

"I got another mission for you. Take Amata with you, and I'll explain it to you on the way." he said as the battle to retake the DC wasteland had just began


	4. Guided by Fate

Chapter 4: Guided by Fate

Weeks later.

Scrapyard. 0128 hours.

For seven weeks, the war against the Nerospiriodium had raged on since the energy field in D.C. was shut down. The Coalition has suffered loses and gained minimum wins against their new enemy, while trying to broker an alliance with the ghoul Insurgency. Towns like Arefu and Canterbury Commons was destroyed in skirmishes, forcing the people of both towns to flee their home towns. In an act of desperation, they headed over to Jamestown. Named after the Lone Wanderer's father as the entire city was composed of Grayditch, Falls Church, and all of Arlington. There was also the matter of the skirmish on Megaton when the Nerospiriodium attempted to activate the defused atomic bomb in the heart of the town. That led to have the atomic bomb in Megaton to sent into the ocean before exploding. The Vertibird vtol craft call sign, liberty hawk was tasked into taking the bomb away from D.C.

There were no survivors reported in the suicide mission to dispatch the atomic bomb. Old Olney still had deathclaws taking out Nerospiriodium, which did a big help to people living in Vault 92 after it was cleared of any mirelurks inside the vault. People from outside of the D.C. Wasteland had settled in Vault 106 after the mind drug gas was disposed of, taking the vault as another place to call home. However; the new residents of Vault 92 and 106 still joined in the war against the Nerospiriodium. The Family who have lived in the Meresti station with former raiders joining in their flock while taking the fight to their new enemy. They operated only in the night as is their usual motto of their code, putting down occasional skirmishers attempted to take over Meresti and wipe them out. Wastelanders from Point Lookout have mysteriously taken shelter in Jamestown, though the large settlement started to become a bit crowded even with the Vaults.

Which left people offered with two choices as the war continued. The first choice was to take anyone who knew how to defend themselves in the Wastes, having them joining the ranks of the Coalition to aid in the war itself. The second choice, to have anyone who could fix and build over to Mama Dolce's weapon manufacturing plant and the Red Racer factory to build up vehicles for the Coalition. The Coalition started to use Robco as another base of operations. Gutsy along with protectrons and sentry bots helped secure the citadel and Jamestown from any Nerospiriodium skirmishers or attacks that would happen during the war. Tanks, APCs, and humvees would head off to the rebuilt section of the bridge leading to the entire warzone of the areas in D.C.

Scrapyard itself became a battlefield, as a bullet was launched in the eye of a TRAF soldier while a group of three TRAF soldiers and Enforcers took cover behind a street car. Minotaurs and satyrs took position to cover the left flank, giving the soldiers heavy fire as Nicholas Law and Lyons' Pride took the right flank to fire laser fire at the minotaurs. A satyr charged at Nicholas while pulling out a flaming sword, the Lone Wanderer grabbed its wrist and arm before digging his combat knife in the neck and jaw leaving the satyr to bleed. The head of a minotaur was rolling around the ground, as Colvin and Dusk kept shooting the Neros reinforcements while Butch and the rest of the Pride continue to mop off the others. Minotaurs reigned fire using sonic cannons to send Coalition soldiers flying away, with dismembered limbs and a severed head on the bloody ground. Initiate Winston was unfortunately caught in the impact, as body was now splattered in a pool of his own guts and blood where he stood before his death.

Enforcers arrived and fired a spray of CZ53 miniguns at the Nerospiriodium in their face, as Initiate Winston in his BOS issued power armor rushed in firing his laser rifle. The Enforcers wore hard armored plates made from complex polymers and ceramics, with a flexible body suit interwoven with thermal-dissipative membranes and bulletproof material. The armor came with a matte-finish olive darb coloring by default, making it suitable for woodland and/or urban camouflage. Their helmets were a ballistic assembly designed to protect the wearer from projectile and energy weapons impacts, bladed weapons, blunt trauma, and concussion. Integrated polarized visor to protect the user's eyes from ordinary battlefield hazards of grit and dust, but also laser blindness and fragments. A combination of a camera/laser rangefinder unit built into the helmet's right side, just above the ear to record or identity enemy soldiers.

"Kodiak, Gallows, and Colvin to my side." Sarah ordered as they complied and heading to the right flank before dealing with the last group of neros

" _All clear."_ Colvin said on his communicator

" _No more of them are here. They're gone, even though we've suffered casualties on our side."_ Dusk added on the communicator

Butch appeared out of cover as he walked over to Nicholas and said. "Remind me again why we're here."

"We're using Scrapyard as an outpost after we retook Vault 108 and shut down the cloning machine inside. Which is our victory in the past week." Nicholas stated suppressing fire on the right flank of the battle, as the last satyr of the horde was shot in the head. "Intel had suggested that the Neros have been using the machine there to make more of their army. I'm only surprised these bastards haven't take it back since then."

"Think we can use something like that on our side?" Butch inquired loading his AER9 laser rifle. "Could come in handy if we keeping losing more men like we do since the whole war started."

"Not really. I encountered a clone of men named Gary in that vault. They seem to attack everyone who isn't them." Nicholas explained. "Though I wonder how the hell the neros do it without attacking any of their own."

"Mind control, maybe. Could be possible for them to use a psycho drug. Like the one you found from Vault 106." Butch reminded Nicholas of as he shook his head

"It took all my willpower not to lose myself in that hellhole of a vault." Nicholas recalled the events of his time in Vault 106. "After that place was clean out of that mind control, wastelanders went inside to take some vault suits and pip-boys."

"Same thing with the wastelanders after Vault 92 was cleared. They kept those people for a while. Plus most of them still have the Pip-boys from 92 and 106." Butch said in a informative tone

"I know. Turns out I got them the location when I was with Reilly's Rangers." Nicholas replied as he stared at the spot where he first met Dogmeat. "From what I remembered, they wanted a place where they could safe."

"So did everyone from the Vault, but no one is never safe." Butch replied. "Showed how people were desperate to get away from all the fighting out here."

"Everywhere you go in the Wasteland, there's always a battle." Sarah added as she glanced at Nicholas who wiped the sweat off his face. "And we still can't get into the capitol building to land a full-scale assault on the Mall because of that place being well-protected."

"True." Nicholas said in agreement. "That place is well guarded. And we've been getting reports that the bastards took Point Lookout along the way. Once we deal with the assault on the Mall and get the area of D.C. secured, we head over to Point Lookout."

"Think they took out all those ugly inbred mutated hillbillies?" Butch inquired. "I remember coming across those ugly fuckers since we helped Nadine on that errand of hers."

"That was no damn picnic." Nicholas muttered as he spat at one of the neros corpses laying on the ground in their own blood. "We had to get all the punga fruit we could carry from that one job. Lucky I brought the whole crew along for the show when I did. As for the hill people, we'll find out if we're ever there to Point Lookout again."

Sarah leaned on Nicholas' shoulder and stared at him as she said. "If they had, it's work well with a few extra hands and soldiers joining the good fight with us."

"No question." Nicholas said as he took a sip of water. "Plus with everyone ranging from vault dwellers the Capital Wasteland and from the Pitt to Point Lookout, we're still standing after what the Nerospiriodium threw at us."

"It's still a weird and stupid name to me though." Butch slightly groused at the name of what their enemy was called

"Well, you can blame Kronos for that shit. I'm pretty sure it's somewhere from Ancient Rome, if I remember correctly." Nicholas replied as he showed a sudden serious look on his face. "Still... we haven't heard a peep out of the fucker since the war started. If he's in the capitol building, we take him out."

"And if he's not in White house?" Sarah inquired

"Then this war will keep on going until we killed the son of a bitch." Nicholas grimly answered as a young knight ran up to him

"Sir!" the knight saluted

Nicholas watched as a wounded Enforcer was being transported into an APC by a couple of TRAF soldiers. "How many casualties today?"

"Eleven. Initiate Winston included, took a jumping bean grenade in the chest. Nine are wounded from the fight." the paladin stated

"Kid's guts were splattered by that cannon. Damn shame." Kodiak said taking the bloodied holotag from the remains of the late initiate

Knights Colvin and Dusk arrived with gauss rifles in hand as Dusk suddenly let out a exasperated sigh. "I hate sitting around on our asses."

Butch nodded his head in agreement to Dusk. "How do you think Andrew and Amata are doing with the Insurgency? I mean it's been weeks since they made contact with the ghoul resistance."

"No idea." Nicholas said to Butch as he received a call from his communicator. "This is Law. Go ahead."

" _Nick! Hi!"_

Nicholas raised an eyebrow as he knew who the voice belong to."Moira?"

" _Could you come to Fort Alexandria?"_

"Why? Is there a reason for this?"

" _Of course there is. You'll love this! It's something for the troops."_

* * *

Chevy Chase North. 0130 hours.

Harpies and trogs kept watch over the path leading to Galaxy News Radio as they set out a drone of unknown origin to scan the area for any intruders. The drone hovered in low-level air when its scanners picked up movement on the left side leading to the subway entrance, as a radroach revealed itself before being obliterated. The drone fled back to where it as two figures in the distance from Chevy Chase east spied on it, leaving one of them to be female and the other male wearing leather armor. The woman's tan skin was merely covered in dirt, as her black hair was messy with bangs in her hazel eyes. The man had a brown blast back mullet, rough beard, and green eyes staring at the drone until it left his sights as he stood up along with the woman who splashed water on her face.

"Looks like they have the way leading to GNR well guarded." Andrew said through the binoculars

"Think Fate's Insurgency would go for it?" Amata asked. "I mean we still haven't seen who their leader yet."

"If this gets his or her way, we might have an audience who it is." Andrew replied. "Now, let's head to their base in the National Archives building down at the mall."

Amata nodded her head. "Lead the way." she said as her and Andrew heading back inside the entrance in Chevy Chase east

* * *

National Archives. 0250 hours.

A energy field surrounded the area of the Capitol building. The area of the Mall had not changed, since it still remained a bombed-out warzone and it was now deserted. The park itself still had a series of trenches, fences and bunkers in fortified positions where anyone can entrenched. Back when the super mutants occupied the Mall, it would involve enduring firefights unless if someone was an expert of sneaking out of a fight entirely. The Metro stations still provided a safe passage underground, as Andrew and Amata step out of the metro station to the National Archives where they spotted a ghoul waving his hand. They walked over to the hooded ghoul as he removed his hood, showing them his face before letting them inside the building.

"Good to see you two smoothskins made it back okay from GNR." he said. "I hope we get to liberate that place so we could hear Three Dog and some good music while we're in this lousy war."

"Thanks for the information, Gob." Amata thanked as her and Andrew heading inside the National Archives building

"Don't mention it, and tell Nick I said hi." Gob replied. "By the way..." he trailed off going inside as he followed them. "The boss in the Rotunda giving a speech."

"Who is it?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

The majority of the ghoul Insurgency wore black power armor of the now dead Outcasts, and even Enclave power armor as Amata and Andrew followed Gob into the rally. Armed ghouls lifted his weapons up and cheered at their leader as Amata squinted, taking a step further to get a closer look at their leader. He was a rot flesh ghoul like all of the others, only that he was one of the only ghouls who had a full head of hair into a clean cut as he wore charcoal colored t-51 power armor.

"Insurgents of Fate! I say the future is ours, if you can count. We got the Neros in Abernathy running scared. We've got them retreating away, having them all in GNR and the Capitol building in D.C." the ghoul leader said in a cockney accent

"Exactly where the Coaliation wants to launch an assault."

"Come nightfall, three platoons secures Galaxy News Radio and the rest of us will attack the Nerospiriodium in the Capitol building!" he shouted

"Desmond! Desmond!" the insurgents cheered, as said leader of the ghoul insurgency glanced at Andrew and Amata before giving them a nod

"That's our cue."

The Insurgency of Fate cheered ready for their mission tonight, as Amata and Andrew followed Desmond out of the rotunda. They went left taking the stairs on the upper floor as Desmond poured a glass of scotch, handing one to Andrew who shook his head in a no while he took a sip. Desmond gave another glass of scotch to Amata as she reluctantly took it in her hand, taking a quick sip of the scotch down her throat. For weeks, Andrew and Amata have been doing reconnaise for both Desmond and the Coaliation since the war started. And now they hoped it would be all worth it, to broker an alliance with the Insurgents of Fate to join forces with the Coaliation.

"200 year old scotch. It could make you feel warm inside or knock you on your ass if you're not careful." Desmond said breaking the silence. "I take it you have news about GNR. How many of them?"

"At least thirty. The bulk is at the capitol building." Andrew stated. "Real effective if you wish to make your strike."

"You're still remembering what I've told you."

"I didn't know you two knew each other."

"I knew his old man while I was up north at one point, before he died." Desmond stated to Amata as he glanced at Andrew. "His father, Edward, taught him how to survive mostly. I met him while I was in Chicago for a time."

Amata glanced at Andrew. "You were in Chicago? For how long were you away from the Capital Wasteland?"

"Only for a couple of days before coming back to D.C." Andrew stated before turning his attention to Desmond. "Speaking of that assault on the Mall..."

"Spill it."

"After giving you friendily reconnaise and intel, I think it's time we start an alliance or work together." Andrew said

"And you think I would accept your offer."

"What do you want?"

Desmond sat the glass of scotch down as he stared at them with a narrowed expression on his face. "I will allow the Insurgency to ally the Coaliation into one big army, in exchange we have the entire area of D.C. for ourselves."

"Anything else."

Desmond took a sip and replied. "No. that's the ony thing these people went. I barely run this army. It's Crowley who is the leader of this whole Insurgency."

"I'll have to take to my superiors about this, and see what they'll saw."

"By all means, then."

* * *

Command center, Alexandria Arms. 0316 hours.

To the southwest of the former hotel now Coaliation base, a bombed-out building now served as an outpost for the Coaliation forces and Brotherhood of Steel. Paladins, TRAFs, and Enforcers stood by in their battle station in case of attack as sentry bots stood in their positions. The former two-story hotel building now serving as one of the main bases for the Coaliation stood out with tents, military vehicles, and a few vertibirds on the roof. Vertibird callsign Angela landed in the open middle section on the roof as Nicholas Law step out with Charon and Sydney behind him. Sydney was olive-drab military bodysuit, worn with combat to armored plates forming together. It was the same combat armor she had when she first met the Lone Wanderer. Charon on the other hand was wearing a trimmed-down leather armor as a soldier saluted at them.

"At ease. Is Moira Brown still here?"

"Yessir. They're just waiting for you."

"Alright, then."

The soldier escorted the Lone Wanderer, Charon, and Sydney inside as they headed down the steps. Alexandria was now fitted military terminals as operators stood by to radio in orders, while in another an instructor was teaching new recruits hand-to-hand combat. The instructor was none other than staff sergeant Manuel Rheems as he instructed the recruit in the role of a drill sergeant. The brown haired and dark tanned skin grabbed the wrist of a sparring recruit as he kicked his leg off the floor, making him trip and fall on his back. In the infirmary, Nicholas spotted Frida Spurlock a former abductee from Mothership Zeta injecting med-x to dull a Enforcer from the battle from the Scrapyard mission. The dark skinned and blue eyed woman was in charge of tending the wounded with a number of nine people each on staff at her disposal. Elliot would pop in from time to time just to check up on his old squad while he was in D.C. before heading back to Mothership Zeta.

Nicholas had only told a few people about the revelation of the alien mothership he was once abducted in, since he was first in space. After a space battle with another mothership, he decided to keep if he ever wanted to venture off in the stars. If things got worse, he might have to ask Sally to scan for habitable world in case the world was going to end. The few Nicholas had ever told were Elder Lyons, Colonel Cameron, Scribe Rothchild, and Fawkes. Owyn Lyons even asked Rothchild to have a handful of scribes to study the alien technology from Mothership Zeta, possibly even to rebuild Liberty Prime back in working condition. So far, all that could be done was merge some of the technology from Earth with that of the mothership. It a decision ever came down to it, they would use Mothership Zeta as a orbital base and only weapon should they fall in winning the war.

The whole reason why Nicholas refused to use Mothership Zeta was because he wanted to take precautions of using the technology of alien origin. If he fired one shot from the Capitol building, but feared it would have the power of a nuclear bomb if possible to wipe out Jamestown including the whole , they were in the command center where Colonels Cameron, Holmes, and Martinez along with Generals Daniels and Long standing present. At the moment they were debating on the next move, whether to assault the Mall with the Insurgency of Fate or not. Nicholas recalled that Andrew and Amata were still with the ghoul insurgency as the Lone Wanderer entered the war room. Cameron and the others turned their attention to the arrival of the Lone Wanderer and his companions as Cameron walked over to him.

"Glad you could make it." Cameron said shaking his hand

"Where's Moira?" Nicholas asked as he spotted said red haired woman in a light blue Robco jumpsuit off in the distance

"Right here. Just gimme a sec!" she exclaimed

Moira arrived with soldiers, each one of the groups ranging from tactial rapid assault force to taskmasters as they stood in attention in a militaristic manner. The first design of the Coaliation uniform was the TRAFs new gear as everyone turned their attention. It closely resembled metal armor instead it had the combat webbing and armored plates, two cables on the sides of the torso as the helmet itself consisted of a gas mask and combat helmet. For the Enforcers, their battle armor was heavy plated with their helmet like their own as it was equipped with a laser rangefinder and gas mask. The Shadowfax battle armor was more of a agile lightweight bodysuit fitted with a left shoulder guard, knee pads, and light armored plating. Their helmets were a combination of gas mask and camera on their left side of the helmet. Lastly, the new gear of the Taskmaster consisted of a trenchcoat with sleek lightweight battle armor, a gas mask which had a camera unit on the left side and green circle lenses.

"Ta-da!"

Nicholas blankly stared at the armor they all wore. "Moira..." he trailed off before staring at the Megaton resident. "When did you have time coming up with this?"

"Oh, this? It's just something I thought of to help with the war." she said in her exciting manner. "The suits themselves out protecting them from radiation, just like the power armor the Brotherhood of Steel wear. Inside all the helmets of the are sensor sonars. Shadowfax still have a heads-up display in their helmets, and Enforcers have the same laser rangefinder unit attached to theirs. As for the Taskmasters, night vision and camera unit built on the righ side of their helmets. I took impression from riot gears police officers in the Pre-War times used."

"How in the hell did you come up with all of us in just weeks?" Nicholas asked in a deadpanned tone

Moira smiled as she answered. "I had some help from Scott Wolinski, and a sweet little girl. Said she was a friend of yours."

Nicholas closed his eyes and shook his head. "Let me guess... Sally." he deadpanned, knowing the young abductee from the Pre-War era was incredibly smart enough to pull off what Moira had done

"Oh, you do know her!" she exclaimed in a excited tone

Nicholas sighed. "Long story. So you're she helped you with all of this in only weeks?" he asked

"That's right. She's a smart little girl!"

"That she is." she said in agreement. "I just needed to clear it with you first before I have it all shipped out."

"Can they even fit anyone."

"Of course! They've been customed to fit all size and measurements."

Nicholas crossed his arms, as he stared at Moira with a long pause and said. "Alright, then. You have the go ahead."

Moira smiled and did a small salute. "Sir, yes sir!" she said as the dressed battle armor Coaliation soldiers followed her out of the war room

"You sure about this?"

"Not really, but it'll have to do." Nicholas replied before turning his attention to Cameron along with the other colonels and generals. "Heard anyone from Andrew or Amata?"

Martinez took the pencil from her dark colored hairbun as she pressed it down on the map area where the Insurgency was. "They have manage to gain an alliance with the Insurgency." she stated in her spanish accent

"And I get the feeling that there's a chance to this."

"They will join forces with us in exchange we let them have the whole city of D.C." Mai Long concluded

"We can't let him D.C." said Holmes. "We need half of that for ours troops in the troops. They'll just have to wait."

"We need that alliance, Col. Holmes." Cameron said. "Every available asset or ally we can find to help us through the push on our enemy. We need to land an assault on the Capitol building where "

"Agreed. We need to liberate the capitol building from the neros, and we need the Insurgency's help with that." Nicholas declared. "Any opposed?" all high ranking officials remained silent. "Good. We assault the capitol in 0800 hours." the lone wanderer glanced at Cameron. "Prepare the troops while I'll let the Brotherhood know."

* * *

Lower level, Vault 101. 1625 hours.

 _Target after target spinned, as Nicholas fired another shot at the target in the middle. He fired two in the middle, then three more on the left and right targets as he opened up the barrel to load the toy weapon he had when he was ten years old. If he were using anything like an actual N99 10mm pistol, the loud bang would have attracted the guards and the swift of the Overseer. Nicholas sighed exasperatedly as he threw the bb gun on the floor, putting some ice on the cheek bruise he received from Butch while he was helping Stanley. It happened when he was working on one of the pipes, leaving Butch to tackle him by surprise as the two fought. Aside from a bruised cheek and hit to the gut, Nicholas broke Butch's nose along with a two hits to the chest and a black eye that made the Tunnel Snake run away. Suddenly, Nicholas heard the door behind him opened as he quickly glanced over his shoulder to find out it was Amata who entered and closed the door behind her._

" _Hey." he greeted as she gently patted the ice to take care of the swelling on his cheek_

" _I saw Butch with a black eye in your dad's hospital before I came here." she said now staring at his dark brown eyes. "I take it that was you."_

 _Nicholas shook his head. "You already know the answer, Amata."_

" _Is it ever going to end with you two?"_

" _That's up to him. I got nothing to do with it."_

 _Amata closed her eyes and shook her head. "Nick..."_

" _What do you want to say, Amata?" Nicholas sighed in defeat. "It's not like I start these fights. All of this isn't my fault."_

" _I don't want you to say nothing, Nick." she replied touching his cheek while she stared into his eyes. "I don't want you to be hurt anymore, okay?"_

" _I'll try." he said staring at her hazel eyes. "You are the first friend I have even met. Well... the only best friend. I mean-" Nicholas was cut off when Amata pressed her lips against his own, leaving him surprised. "Amata?"_

 _Amata realized what she did as her cheeks flushed. "Just shut up and kiss me."_

 _Nicholas smirked. "With pleasure"_

 _Nicholas planted a kiss on the lips, as Amata closed her eyes while taking in the passionate kiss. They tongues started wrestling each other while Nicholas' hand slowly went down her back. Her hands slowly cupped his cheeks, as Amata moaned when Nicholas had his hand trailed down her waist to firmly grip her ass. Thoughts were racing her mind when they continued to kiss each other passionately, leaving Amata to lightly sit on Nicholas' lap as his hand went down to unzip the jumpsuit she wore. She did the same with his jumpsuit, as it showed Nicholas in his gray t-shirt and blue boxers while Amata's was pulled off from her body wearing a gray tank top and blue briefs. Both of his hands made contact with her apple bottom as Amata was forced to stop their passionate romance._

" _We can't do this." Amata said between moans_

" _Of course we can." Nicholas replied planting kisses on her neck. "No one doesn't know where we are."_

" _I know, but..."_

" _Amata..."_

" _Nick..." Amata trailed off stopping him. "Maybe another time."_

 _Nicholas sighed as he reluctant agreed with Amata. "Sure." he said while he and Amata started getting dress, as she was the first to leave the room. "Another time." he muttered_

* * *

National Archives, D.C. 2215 hours.

Back in the base of the Fate Insurgency, ghouls were heading to their bunk beds as Desmond strapped his power armor to a still holding it. He was now dressed in a black robe, hearing a sudden knock on the door as he looked back to see Gob.

"How did it go?"

"It's a go, sir. Us and the Coaliation are ready to strike the Capitol building."

"Have you heard from hatchet squadron tonight?" Desmond inquired

"The mission was a success. They've secured the radio station." Gob added. "We except them to meet us at the assault on the mall at eight o'clock."

"And from there we can take the Capitol building." Desmond concluded as he noticed Andrew and Amata walk in the hallway. "You two!" he called out as they looked at him. "A delivery just arrived from the Coaliation. For you two, specificially." Desmond pointed at a crate which a Coaliation emblem that was in the form of a blue circle with a yellow winged sword. It also had the initials MARC on the side

Amata opened the crate as they saw new equipment. She raised a sudden eyebrow of confusion. "What is this?"

"Our new gear it seems. Maybe even for everyone in the Coaliation."

"Get ready for tomorrow, smoothskins." Gob said. "We'll be going to battle."

"We're hitting the Mall?" Andrew quiried in question

"And after that... the Capitol building." Desmond answered


	5. Attack on the Mall

Chapter 5: Assault on the Mall

Washington monument. 0745 hours.

The day was nearly coming when the Coalition and Brotherhood of Steel would launch a charge on the Capitol building from the mall, as Amata and Andrew were taking watch . At the top of the Washington monument in her Shadowfax battle armor, as Amata observed the enemy forces standing guard near the Capitol building the park still remained the same. Andrew was dressed in a hybrid of Shadowfax/Taskmaster battle armor as his helmet display optic scans and thermal signatures of Nerospiriodium patrolling the area. Trenches, fences, and bunkers as always were in fortified positions with the Nerospiriodium armada occupying the area as Amata spotted something flying in the air. It was an aircraft with two bladed main rotors and rocket thrusters on the tail rotor as the craft resembled a combination of a UH-1 Iroquois and Xian-85 fighter jet to transport troops. There was also a heavily armed jet craft with sixty-milllimeter cannons, five anti-tank bombs, and eight air-to-ground missiles.

"What are those?"

"No idea." Andrew replied as he tapped the radio transmitter in his helmet. "Base. This is Lieutenant Cole confirming that the Neros have aircraft capabilities. I repeat: the Nerospiriodium have aircraft capabilities. I'm sending in the live feed right now."

" _Acknowledged. Estimated sight of bogies are at least eleven."_

"Designation for the transports and assault ships: Hydra." Andrew answered, as he continued to observe the incoming enemy fighters. "HQ, how do we proceed?"

" _Hold positions. Enemy have possession of Hellions. Signal the Fate Insurgency to hold their positions, until P-80 fighter jets are scrambled so they can keep the Hellions busy while the attack commences."_

"Roger that. Over and out." Andrew responded as he cut off his communicator. "How the hell did they get Hellions?"

Amata glanced over her shoulder to Andrew as she asked. "What's a Hellion?"

"High-powered and heavily-armed jets. They never saw mass production in the Pre-War times." Andrew explained. "I wonder how they're making more of them."

"I'll signal the Insurgency to hold positions." Amata said before glancing at Andrew as she began shining a light down below in the direction where the Insurgency took offensive positions. "Be honest, think we can survive this fight?"

"We might just have to see for ourselves, Amata." Andrew said loading his sniper rifle. "In the meantime, let's just wait until the reinforcements arrive."

"They better get here quick, because I see a small group of insurgents making their way in the trenches instead of waiting!" Amata exclaimed

A group of power armored insurgents lead by Crowley took positions, as one of them was aiming a bazooka at a chimera tank two yards away. The missile fired and struck the chimera tank, as a pack of small machines heading to the direction of where the missile was shot. They were spider drones, used by the Chinese army in the Pre-War times as an insurgent fired at three of them. They double back to the entrenched area of the park with the insurgents taking cover to remain out of sight in a nearby bunker, unfortunately for them the drones pounced on them. A distance explosion could be heard as Desmond furiously slammed his fist to the wall, while Amata took a look into the binoculars once more to know of the enemys' positions.

"They're about to put up an energy field. We won't have another shoot at this." she told Andrew as he radioed the base

"HQ. Request we start the attack."

" _Denied. Lt. Cole, you and Corporal Almodovar are to hold your positions."_

"We need not have another chance. They're bringing up an energy field to surround the Capitol building."

There was a long pause until HQ radioed in. _"ETA of the shooting stars two-minutes."_

" _Coalition forces, this is Colonel Cameron. Commence attack!"_

"Understood." Amata radioed as she gave the Insurgency the all-clear to start the attack

Fate insurgencts charged into the fray, firing bullets and laser fire at the Nerospiriodium as the park began to become a battlefield once again. New recruits of the Insurgency wore armors of both combat and leather, as some went down bleeding on the ground by enemy fire and the rest took cover under the trenches. A rampaging minotaur fired out sonic booms from the cannon as insurgents were sent flying away and back, only for a rocket to impact directly to its chest. Blood and guts laid on the battle covered floor as Coalition forces poured in to assist the Insurgency, with a squad of Brotherhood of Steel knights flanking the left side of neros. TRAF soldiers and Taskmaster covered the right flank as a humvee, with a Shadowfax fired a mounted machine gun at trogs while another Shadowfax fired a shot ten yards away at three fauns. All of a sudden, a humvee was blasted away as a one manned vehicle headed their way with a Enforcer firing his Browning Automatic Rifle light machine-gun at the incoming enemy craft.

The single-track vehicle resembled a red motorcycle, with a large wheel on the front and a small tire wheel on the back. On the sides were small cannons which fired 25mm grenade shells at TRAFs and a Brotherhood initiate in the process, as a Taskmaster sniper lunged a bullet to the satyr's head. The sniper fired off a few shots at fauns and two harpies, leaving the Taskmaster to have his head shot off as he fell down below the trenches. A Brotherhood knight spewed out red lights of fire at trogs and a minotaur, using a gatling laser along with disintegrated a couple of fauns in the process. A blue holographic light suddenly covered the knight's body, as he began turning to ash due to a harpie in the distance. A female Shadowfax sniper shot the head of the harpie off while firing two more into a satyr's chest, leaving it to bleed on the ground as she moved forward below the trenches. She took cover by a Taskmaster firing a type 93 silencer in his hands, as he ducked his head down from incoming fire.

"I don't suppose we have a way get through the Capitol building?"

"Not with those Hellions in the air."

The Shadowfax stared up and noticed Coalition P-80 shooting stars in the air, firing at the Hellion jets in the sky. The P-80 fighter jets modified by Vault-tec resources and Enclave technology, with small rocket engines aiding the jets to go at the same level of speed matching the Hellions. A selection from mounted guns to laser cannons and missiles covered the firepower portion of the fighter jets, as they flew right into battle against their enemy. The fighter jets engaged in a dog fight against the Hellions of the Nerospiriodium horde as a Hellion blasted away a P-80 fighter, crashing right the entrace of the Museum of Technology. A P-80 fighter went starboard, keeping the fleeing Hellion in her crosshairs while she kept her finger on the trigger to get a clear shot as the light on her target system blinked red. She opened fire with red lights of fire, sending her target down near a Chimera tank as the pilot dropped down a few mini nukes having the Neros flying back in limbs and guts. A M4 sherman tank fired another missile, heading toward a Chimera as it exploded on impact destroying the Nerospiriodium tank.

"Push forward!" Desmond shouting, leading the charge of his forces. "This is our day so we can win against these bastards!"

The taskmaster touched his comm-link as he spotted three vertibirds about to land near the Capitol building. _"Andrew, we're heading inside the Captiol building. Think you can handle it from here?"_

"We'll manage. A few friends of mine will hold the line with the Coalition." Andrew replied, throwing a frag grenade as the lives of three fauns were taken in the explosion

" _Good luck."_

Andrew dodged a charge from a minotaur, as he stick a grenade in it's belt and exploded two seconds later. "You too, Law. We'll finish up here."

An Enforcer hit the side of a faun's jaw with the butt of a BAR light machine-gun, before shooting its dead center in the head. "Is that all you fuckers got?! Is that all you can throw at me?!" he shouted in a cockney accent, as a TRAF soldier cooked a grenade while tossing it toward a trogs foot until the grenade exploded

"Are you trying to get killed, Miller?" the TRAF soldier yelled, while taking cover in the trench

"So the fuck what?" Miller scoffed spatting on the corpse of a trog. "We're moping the floor with these pricks. Now let's go, Juarez! I want to stick me inside Kronos' ass!"

"Good luck with that, you dumb son of a bitch." Juarez replied in a mutter

* * *

Capitol Building. 0806 hours.

"Move it, you maggot-eating vermin!" a Minotaur shouted with authority leading a squad. Two fauns, six trogs, and a harpie as they exited the east entrance of the Capitol building. "We shall not let these pestering humans and ghouls to defeat us!"

Admist the battle, the Lone Wanderer and his group moved forward to proceed with caution as Nicholas motion his hand for his team to form up on him once inside the west entrance. Accompanying the Lone Wanderer was Charon, Fawkes, and Nadine who was the captian of the steamboat known as the Duchess Gambit. The merc charmer had fitted her well as it hugged her body, with Nicholas' Xuanlong assault rifle in her hands while her brown eyes looked left and right. Her dyed bright orange was messy, having a bandanna tied to it as she followed the Lone Wanderer and his group inside the Capitol building. It was mainly a ripped and torn blue business with ripped black fishnet tights. Black shin-high boots and black fingerless gloves. The Lone Wanderer himself held on to a AER9 laser rifle in his hand, as he wore his medic power armor while Fawkes and Charon took positions on the left. Law and Nadine took the right position as they suddenly heard screams of terror in a room left of their flank.

"Fawkes, Charon." said ghoul and supermutant formed up on the door to their left, as he glanced at Nadine. "Get ready." Nadine nodded her head, as she headed toward their way behind Fawkes. "Breach on my mark." Nicholas ordered

"Ready when you are, Nicky." Nadine said

"3..." Charon slowly gripped the knob on the door. "2..." Nadine took the safety off the Xuanlong assault rifle. "1."

Charon and Fawkes barged the door opened with their weapons armed to the teeth, as there was a large were congress once held before the Great War filled with slaves. They had explosive collars wrapped their necks, similar to the slavers from Paradise Falls or the Pitt as they screamed in panic. The group had bewildered and shocked expressions on their face, leaving Nicholas to crouch toward a seven year old boy and an ten year old girl. He strapped his laser rifle to his back as he stared down at the girl's wrist, seeing a small computer device along with a 60 number on their collar and backs. Nicholas stood up and heading toward another group who had the same appearance, only the number 41 instead. Charon went to the next group on the left, seeing the same features as they had the number 59 on the back of their jumpsuits and collars.

Nadine noticed another group, with the number on their collars and back of their jumpsuits as she said. "I got 73 right here."

Nicholas turned to Fawkes and said. "Check the numbers on the collars and backs for the last group. Especially with wrist device from the ages 10 and over."

"Of course, my friend." the supermutant companion insisted making his way, to where the last group. He stared a man and his family huddled together in fright. "I will not harm you." he assured them seeing a number 82 on the collar and back of their jumpsuit. "82." he said to the Lone Wanderer

Charon walked toward the Lone Wanderer and asked. "What do you make of this?"

"They're from vaults. Thought I don't know which."

Nadine cautiously brought an elderly woman out of the group, as the collar stayed in a green light. "Let's get them out of the room. Something tells me they can't leave the building." she stated.

"Go ahead." Nicholas replied, as he was receiving a transmission from his comm-link while vault dwellers were being escorted out of the congress room. "This is Law."

" _Nick, this is Sarah. We cleared the entire area, but no sign of Kronos. Must have fled when he saw us coming."_

Nicholas kicked the chair down which frightened some of the vault dwellers on the way out of the room. "Motherfucker!" he muttered under his breath. "Sarah, we found Vault dwellers. Inside the Capitol building."

"From here?"

"No, they're from somewhere else I think. We got thirty people from each group."

"One-hundred and fifty."

"Exactly. They got explosive collars around their necks."

"Damn it. Any idea which guard has the key?"

Before Nicholas could reply back, he noticed a sixteen year old girl panicked as she punch his arm which had no effect.

"No. No! Leave me alone!"

"Please, stop."

"Get away!"

"Calm yourself, child."

"Get away from me!" she cried as Fawke held her arms together with his hands

"I am not here to harm you." he assured the panicked girl. "Be still and I shall release you." he added. She remained still, as Fawkes noticed her staring at something behind him which showed horror in her eyes. "What is the matter, child-"

In the teenage girl's brown eyes, he saw a fiery sword as Fawkes moved the girl out of the way while Charon fired his combat shotgun. The shotgun shells dropped as Charon kept firing his weapon at the satyr, leaving the Nerospiriodium elite to toss a jumping bean grenade near a wall toward the ghoul bodyguard. Another satyr tackled Nicholas as he grabbed the wrist of the attacking satyr, holding its wrist back to avoid a flaming sword to his face. He punched the satyr in the face as it roared, only for Charon kick the satyr off and shot its face off leaving brain matter and chunks of its head on the floor. The satyr fled as Nicholas grabbed his laser rifle and he headed to chase the fleeing enemy.

"Nadine, you and Charon protect the vault dwellers! Fawkes, with me!"

Nicholas and Fawkes ran in after the satyr, as they wiped off every Nerospiriodium with red laser fire. The lone wanderer took a jumping bean grenade and threw it at a minotaur as it exploded, firing a few last shots in his laser rifle before the weapon was completely jammed. Fawkes tossed a Nerospiriodium energy based shotgun called the scattergun, as the Lone Wanderer kept firing. Piles of ash and dust filled the halls as they chased after the satyr that fled, when a sonic boom erupted the hall leaving Nick and Fawkes to dash ahead into another room. All of a sudden, a bulking humanoid armed with a sonic cannon stood forward with the two satyrs including the one that fled. Clawed hands and feet, armor garbed in human skulls with the head on the side of his waist.

"Lone Wanderer." he growled firing his sonic cannon as Nicholas and Fawkes took cover near an office table. "So this is the legend of this "Capital" Wasteland."

Nicholas kept the scattergun aimed at the bulking armed and mutated creature. "Kronos, I take it?" he inquired firing the scattergun at the satyrs

The humanoid creature spat on the floor as he snarled at them. "You presume too much. I am Typhon."

"And you're one of his lieutenants."

"Correct, but he is far beyond your reach." Typhon boasted aiming his sonic cannon directly at Nicholas. "I will have your head for a trophy."

Fawkes charged Typhon out of nowhere as they bust their the door. "I disagree."

Typhon kicked off of him along with sending a kick to the gut. "You think you can defeat me?" the nerospiriodium commander barked. "I am Typhon! I have slain inferior ilks like you for a living-" he was cut off with a sonic blast that blew off his right, causing to ink out blood as he glared at the Lone Wanderer holding a sonic cannon in his hand. "You!"

"You talk too much."

Before he could fire another blast from the sonic cannon, Typhon slammed toward a wall as Nicholas pulled out a pistol and started firing. Typhon relased his grip when he was shot in the eye, leaving Fawkes to tackle him into the ground. The Vault 87 supermutant furiously slammed his fists across the face of the Nerospiriodium commander, with blood on his hands as he kept sending blow after blow. This took Nicholas by surprise, as he never experienced seeing Fawkes go off in a rampage instead of his calm demeanor and hardened when under battle.

"Fawkes... FAWKES!" said supermutant fixed a viciously gaze only for a moment, before calming down. "It's over. He's dead."

Fawkes looked at his fists which were covered in Typhon's blood. "I... I am sorry, my friend." he apologized

Nicholas searched over Typhon's corpse, in order to find out if he carried the off-switch to turn off the slave collars as he glanced at Fawkes. "What happened?" the Lone Wanderer asked his supermutant friend. "You never rage like that before."

"I do not know what has become of me." Fawkes replied. "I have no idea what became over me."

Nicholas manage to find the remote to the slave collars, as he flicked a switch which turned off the collars. "Nadine, tell the vault dwellers to take off the collars and head outside."

"Will do."

Nicholas placed a hand on the supermutant as he said. "C'mon. Let's go." the Vault 87 supermutant nodded his head

Outside the Capitol building, the remaining Nerospiriodium forces fled as the Coalition forces along with Brotherhood of Steel and Fate Insurgency cheered in victory. Freddie Gomez and Wally Mack high fived each other, while Wally's sister gave him and Amata an embracing hug. Andrew glanced over his shoulder at his friends as he made his way toward them, three men which one had orange hair and two with dark brown hair. The Enforcer Sergeant, Reinhardt Miller bump his fist to his chest as Humberto Juarez smoked his cigar and blew out smoke while everyone else still cheered over their victory. A Shadowfax by the name of Kevin Praga took a seat on the ground as he watched one of TRAF soldiers on top of a destroyed Chimera. APCs brought over a bus to transport the group of vault dweller that were the slaves of the Nerospiriodium to Jamestown, as Sarah Lyons saw Nicholas Law and Fawkes set outside.

"You made it back." she said as she noticed the Lone Wanderer's mutant friend head over to a corner. "Is your friend over there, okay."

"He's alright. Just a little shaken." Nicholas said, not telling her of what happened inside the Capitol building

Sarah nodded her head in agreement as she replied. "I would be too if I found out these bastards were keeping people as slaves."

"Did I miss anything?"

"No, but..." Sarah paused as he stared at Nicholas' brown eyes. "Nick, I just got word from the Citadel. Someone wants to speak to you."

The Lone Wanderer raised a quirked eyebrow and asked. "Who is it? Cameron? Long? Daniels?"

"I don't know. My father wouldn't say." Sarah stated. "All he said was for me to tell you to head for the Citadel."

"This is strange."

Sarah shook her head and replied. "You're telling me."

* * *

Citadel. 0839 hours.

" _Three Dog here! AEEOOOWWW! I've got some news for ya, kiddies. The Coalition took a big push at the Neros today with the help of the BOS and Fate Insurgency. Just when you thought the Nerospiriodium were goners, their boss Kronos booked and left the Capitol building before the Lone Wanderer could display some good old-fashion justice. Even though the good news is that the Nerospiriodium are out of the Capital Wasteland, the bad news is that cat is still out there. No doubt binding his time until he attacks us again. I also got reports of the Nerospiriodium heading over to Point Lookout."_ Three Dog paused as he was given another report from his female assitant, Becky. _"Oh, hold on there children. I got some other piece of news. It seems that the residents of Rivet City have evacuated themselves into Jamestown, and it looks like they're there to stay. After two years of repairing the ship and the Mirelurks cleared out in the lowest, the Coalition might plan to use the aircraft carrier as a way to move their troops to Point Lookout. We may have won the battle kiddies, but will we lose the war? Let's hope for our sake that we win the war. Thanks for turning in, this is Three Dog! AEEEEOOOOOWW! And now, for some music."_ Three Dog concluded as he played the son _Mighty, mighty man_ by Roy Brown

The entrance door opened as Brotherhood of Steel Knight and Lone Wanderer, Nicholas Law and Sarah step inside the Citadel. Once inside, they were suddenly getting applause from every knight, paladin, and scribe. The young initiates and the children from Little Lamplight cheered for them, as Butch waved his hand for Nicholas and Sarah to follow him into the meeting room where the Elder was. He opened the door for them as Nicholas and Sarah walked inside the conference room, leaving Butch to close I twith Elder Lyons having his hands behind his back.

Nicholas saluted to Elder Lyons. "Elder."

"Father." Sarah said saluting as well

"As you were." the Elder turned his head to Butch. "Could you give us a moment? And bring her here." he added as Butch left the room, leaving Nicholas and Sarah with Elder Lyons

"Her? Who is she?"

"I will leave that for you to find out." Owyn replied. "But first, I take it the mission was a success?"

"It was, but Kronos still escaped." Sarah stated. "He left the battle started, apparently."

"We know, and we have no idea where he is. Kronos must stop him immediately." Lyons declared

"It's possible once we send our forces to Point Lookout, we may have a clear indication to where Kronos is hiding." Nicholas said. "As soon as we have a location, we can bring him down once and for all."

"Let us hope there is a way to find him." Elder Lyons noticed the door behind Nicholas and his daughter, as he nodded. "She may enter."

Nicholas and Sarah turned their heads, leaving the Lone Wanderer's eyes to be widened when he realized it was a familiar face. She was fifty years old, her asian features having reached her middle-aged life. She wore blue pants with a white lab coat and brown shoes, as her sophisticate hairstyle was still the same as he remembered it. Nicholas slowly walked closer to the woman, still in his shocking trance after upon realization that it was Doctor Madison Li. The same who knew his parents when they worked on Project Purity, to establish fresh and clean waters to the Capital Wasteland as Nicholas quickly latch onto her in a embracing hug.

"We'll leave to you it." Sarah as her and her father left the room

"Nick, nick... Nicholas. You're crushing me too tight."

Nicholas stopped and realized he was in his power armor while he hugged her. "Sorry about that, but what are you doing here?"

"I needed to talk to you." she urged

"I don't think we have a lot to talk about when we're at war." Nicholas stated. "It's still continuing."

"This is about the war you're having. About Kronos."

Nicholas showed a serious expression on his face. "What do you know about him?"

"So far, all I know is he's another kind of mutated being. It's due to the Troglodyte Disease Contagion and a modified form of the Forced Evolutionary Virus." she explained. "There is also the fact that I found out who he was from Enclave files."

"The Enclave had files on this guy?"

"Yes. His name was Oris Haller, a former scientist that was "released" by the Enclave." she stated. "He was the creator of that modified FEV Eden gave you to infect Project Purity."

"Good thing I had the damn thing disposed, then." Nicholas muttered as he sat down while staring at Dr. Li. "What happened to him?"

Madison leaned forward with her hands on a chair as she said. "He was thought to be destroyed, but I noticed him in the commonwealth down in Boston. He stayed for only a couple of days before he left. For unknown reason, he travelled to the Pitt and gained an audience with someone by the name of Ishmael Ashur."

"I met him when I was there. Unfortunately, him and his former second-in-command didn't see eye-to-eye with each other." Nicholas said recalling the time he ventured to the Pitt. "It didn't well for both of them because of their little coup. In the end, that bridge leading to the city got destroyed along the way after I got the slaves out of there."

"He may have a way to combine the TDC and FEV together. Even using those he captured such as the raiders, slavers, and wildmen trapped in that city."

"We also had a high number of Talon Company mercs and raiders here missing. Raiders that weren't missing joined the Family." Nicholas added. "We all wondered where the raiders and Talon mercs were, only we were fighting them this whole time since the war started."

Nicholas stroked his chin and asked. "Why would Kronos come here? Is it because we defeated the Enclave?"

"It could be possible, although he's harbored a grudge at the Enclave just like you have." Li doubted

"So it's either redemption or revenge at stealing his right to get back at the Enclave." Nicholas concluded

"Exactly. There is also someone who could help." Li suggested to the Lone Wanderer. "He's heading over to Adams Air Force. His name is Elias Fountaine was kidnapped by the Enclave and "volunteered" to help them to their benefit."

"And by "volunteered" you mean forced. The question is: why is he going there?"

Li took her hands off the chair as she stared at the Lone Wanderer. "That's for you to find out." she replied

"You'll think he'll help us?"

"He'll won't have a choice." she said heading for the door

"Why is that?"

Li glanced over her shoulder and said before leaving the room. "Because Kronos wants him dead."


	6. Baptism by Fire

Chapter 6: Baptism by Fire

Meeting room, Citadel. 0842 hours.

Nicholas remained quiet when Doctor Li mention Kronos would come for whoever Elias Fountaine was. They were not the only ones alone with his team that lead an assault on the Capitol building which still had consisted of Fawkes, Charon, and Nadine. Doctor Li was use to seeing a ghoul in company, recalling a few times that she was accompanied by one of them as a bodyguard similar to Charon. However, the super mutant companion known as Fawkes was another story and a curious one at that. The super mutants her and James encountered while accompanied were mindless and a savage generation of mutants, completely different from the first generation back west. This super mutant standing beside the Lone Wanderer showed a sheer form of intelligence. She did notice the vault 87 logo on his back, hinting that he was from where the rest of the super mutants in the Capital Wasteland were transformed.

"I must say, you keep interesting company." Li said referring to Fawkes and Charon. "Even for you."

Nicholas chucked from Li's sudden response of seeing his companions. "Uncanny isn't it?"

Li scoffed and rolled her eyes with a smile as she replied. "Very uncanny. As for this war you're having with Kronos, you need to find Fountaine. He can help."

"How can this Elias Fountaine help us out in the war?" Nicholas asked leaning back while he had his feet on the table. "Have him and Kronos worked together behind? They must know each other since they became "workers" for the good of the Enclave."

Li nodded. "They have before they were captured by the Enclave. Sometimes on the same goal such as the modified FEV strain Eden try to snare you with into infecting Project Purity. But at most times, they were doing a separate project."

"This project that Fountaine was working on. Just what is this secret program that could help us out?"

"I don't know. You would have to meet him for yourself and find out." Li merely stated as an answer, now getting out of her seat. "Now... if you'll excuse me," she took a few steps toward the door. "I have to head back to the Commonwealth before the dust of the war hits back here again."

A hand touched her shoulder as she looked to see Nicholas. "Can I at least convince you to stay and help, or talk for a while longer?"

"I can't promise anything, but we'll see how this goes."

"That's all I'm asking."

"Very well, then." Li said. "If you want any questions that need to be answered, now would be the time to ask them."

"How long did you stay until you went to the Commonwealth?"

Li sighed as she had her hand on her hip. "Ten days." she answered. "After the Brotherhood invited themselves to safeguard the work of Project Purity, I took my things and heading to the Commonwealth."

"Sounds different from where we are."

"It is. There's probably a few." Li replied. "There are vaults. One of the vaults just like the one you and your father stayed in."

Nicholas scoffed. "Better not be anything like 101."

"Don't worry, this vault is like 101. James told me..." Madison trailed off in a pause, recalling the day she lost her friend and lost love. "With Vault 101, everyone in the vault set themselves to be isolation. In this vault in the Commonwealth, the people there do trading way before 101 ever got its start."

"There's been something on my mind, and I feel like I need to tell you this." Nicholas admitted to Madison as she stared at him

Madison took a seat as her hands were on her hips. "What's on your mind? You can tell me, Nicholas."

"When me and dad were heading back to Rivet city after I found him, he said he had a regret." he explained. "That after mom's death, he wondered if he should have ever asked you before he left."

"What was it?"

"Dad had a thing for you, and I know for a fact you had a thing for him. He wondered if he should've asked you to come with us to Vault 101." Nicholas stated. "If he ever asked you to come live with us, what would be your answer?"

Madison was taken aback back this surprising information, a sudden revelation hidden when James reunited with her two years ago. It was not a surprise that Nicholas knew Madison herself had feelings for his father, and a part of her wondered if she and James could have a relationship. But all of that halted when James lost his wife and Nicholas' mother, Catherine who died from cardiac arrest after having child birth. Although she knew that James would lose hope of continuing to work on Project Purity after Catherine's demise, she didn't convince him enough to stay. She began to wonder if James asked her to come with him to Vault 101, to be a family when she would consider becoming Nicholas' mother in the vault. Both of them would be doctors of course, giving medical attention to the vault dwellers while raising Nicholas into a fine young man. Maybe even having another child into the vault, a daughter to become one big, happy family for the rest of their lives.

Madison snapped out of her trance as he gazed at Nicholas. "To be honest, I would have said yes if I knew." she answered. "I would spent probably most of the time, raising you and your sister whenever your father had to work a double shift in the vault."

"Really?"

"Really. As boring as the vault was, we would be safe." She stated. "No threats from raiders or super mutants, and I would enjoyed the rest of my live being a family. Even expecting grandchildren."

"Sounds very motherly of you."

"I knew I shouldn't have said anything."

"All I wanted was just a yes. You just got a detail of how it will go down. Besides it may have been interesting if you were my mother, especially with the constant scolding when we were in Project Purity or Rivet city." Nicholas replied as a knock on the door was heard. "Who is it?"

"It's just me." said a familiar voice to Nicholas

"Come in, Butch."

"The Elder just got word that a squad of BOS tailed Kronos heading out the Capital Wasteland." Butch stated. "We found out the last transmission say he was heading to the Pitt."

"The Pitt?"

"Could be one of his bases." Madison Li suddenly said. "He also has another one in Balitmore.

"Plus, Moira had the Coalition gave back those battle suits to conduct some more testing." Butch added

"For what reason?"

"She didn't say." Butch replied. "TRAFs and Enfocers are back to the standard and reinforced combat armor. Shadowfax go back to wearing leather armor and metal helmets with heads-up display again. And the Taskmasters are back into wearing Pre-War riot gear."

"I wonder what kind of plan she's doing with those battle armor." Nicholas muttered as he stood up from his seat, packing back and forth. "When does the assault on Point Lookout start?"

"In a few hours." Butch stated. "Andrew's going to be with a batch of greenhorns into the fight. Along with the others, he's going to have his hands full in the meantime."

"You get everyone in the group to take Megaton. We're heading to the Pitt." Nicholas declared

"What about you?"

"There's somewhere I need to be."

Point Lookout Pier. 1250 hours.

The Coalition sailed the Potomac river through the S.S. Rivet, taking the name of the former settlement. Andrew Cole walked the halls of the ship in his Taskmaster riot gear as he held his helmet, with a fellow coalition soldier walking beside him wearing reinforced combat armor. He looked to be slightly older than Andrew showing a weathered complexion and bedraggled brown hair and brown eyes, leaving him to load a magazine in his N99 10mm pistol. They exited out to a large area of the ship with a few trucks and tanks presented, followed by standard coalition troops and recent recruits as Andrew looked at a group in peticular. A couple of TRAF soldiers, with one having a buzz cut and machevillan goatee while the other simply had a military cap wearing glasses and hair on his chin clad in their combat armor. Two female Shadowfax recruits clad in leather armor as one of them working on to the sensor module inside her helmet while another held her silenced type 93 assault rifle in her hands.

"These the new recruits, Michael?"

said person nodded his head. "Yep. First up is Ryan Hall. Smart kid, good with hacking terminals." he said referring to the TRAF recruit with the cap and glasses on as he stared at the other recruit. "Joshua Johnson. A real wise-ass soldier with a sense of humor. Typical and standard rifleman."

"How unlike anyone I know." Andrew mocked in sarcasm

Michael Barnes scoffed off with a laugh. "Kid's like a bastard version of Miller." both Andrew and Holt turned their attention to the two new Shadowfaxs. "Amanda Patterson. Support gunner and sniper." he stated now pointing the other working on the sensor module in her helmet. "And lastly, Rose Griffin. Sub-machine gunner and recon. Scored top rank in her class."

"Interesting bunch."

"Paladin Tristan and Knight Artemis is leading the first wave." Barnes stated to Andrew. "Miller's leading the second wave while Juarez takes the third."

"Then that leaves me with the fourt wave with the team of greenhorns."

"Plus some back up on the side." Barnes added. "And help from yours truly."

"How's Monica and little Ike doing?"

"They're fine. Honestly, Cole, I want this fucking war to be over." Holt muttered under his breath. "I got family I'm trying to protect.

"You aren't the only one."

"We better find this asshole."

Andrew placed a hand on Barnes' shoulder and said. "We will, my friend. You can certain of that."

Holt nodded. "Let's go meet the rookies." he and Andrew headed toward the group who seem to be waiting for their superiors. "Atten-hut!" the greenhorns saluted

"At ease." Andrew said to them. "I'm 1st Lieutenant Cole. This is 2nd Lieutenant. Holt. Welcome to Tiger squad. 22nd regiment. 4th battlation."

"When do we get to some real action, sir? I'm aching to send those neroes running with their tails between their legs!" Johnson exclaimed, eager to get into battle

"Only a fool goes looking for a fight, kid." Barnes chasticed at the hot-headed recruit. "Don't do anything stupid to get yourself killed."

"Sir."

"Moving on." Andrew said getting down to business. "Once we land to the pier. We will receive a debriefing on our mission from Col. Kincaid. Whatever this mission is, I wanted everyone of you to be ready 100%."

"And stay alive. Understood?" Barnes added suddenly hearing an alarm go off

" _All personnel. Prepare for battle stations. I repeat: prepare for battle stations!"_

"Looks like we have company." Barnes muttered as Andrew nodded his head in total agreement

"Grab a weapon." he ordered the squadron except Holt who was already armed with a BAR machine gun

Ryan Hall grabbed a AK-47 assault rifle as he loaded a magazine, while Johnson grabbed himself a combat shotgun from the weapon crate near them. Patterson loading the last bullet into her sniper rifle as Griffin already armed herself with her scoped and silenced .45 sub-machine gun. Andrew put on his helmet as did all the others in their standard uniforms, with the latch opened on the side leaving the trucks and soldiers to move out of the battleship. They were greeted by Coalition officers motioning their hands to enter the Pier, which was the Point Lookout State Park as their base of operations during their attack on the area. Once they set foot on the base, they saw locals being treated by medical officers as the battle outside the State Park raged on. Sounds of both gunfire and laser fire filled the whole area of Point Lookout, along with the sound of mortar rounds being fired upon while tanks rolled in on the beach. A moment later, a sandy blond hair and bearded man in his late thirties who was Colonel Kincaid made his way to Tiger squadron.

"Tiger squad. Your objective is to take Ark & Dove Cathedral that's hammering on our forces trying to secure Calvert and the Lighthouse."

"Rest assured, Colonel, we'll get it done."

"Godspeed, Lieutenant."

"Yes, sir."

Adams Air Force base. 1425 hours.

Two years, two years since the defeat of the Enclave had taken place. The lone Wanderer remembered the same place of battle were the lives of three of his companions was lost in the fight against the Enclave. Clover, the slave Nicholas freed when he first set foot in Paradise Falls to free the kids taken from Little Lamplight. It did however, arose a fight inside the Slaver settlement itself leaving him to spare Clover along the way and offer a place at his side after freeing the trapped slaves. She was killed by plasma fire and turned to a pile of goo, but not before cutting off an enclave officer's head. The ex-raider was burned to a crisp from a heavy incinerator during the battle against the Enclave, he was one of which who trained Nicholas through his time in the Capitol Wasteland. Star Paladin Cross filled in the mentorship in training Nicholas, due to the fact she guarded him and his father James when he was only an infant.

She died in his arms after she was impaled by a remote controlled deathclaw, saying that it was an honor being by his side in the final battle against the Enclave. Once the mobile platform carrier was destroyed and the Enclave had been defeated, Nicholas took her body to be one with steel. It was a funeral pyre where they would set their fallen comrades on fire and cast their corpse in a steel box upon the burial pyre. Nicholas still kept her super slege back on Megaton after her funeral and continued to deal with the vault 87 super mutants before blowing up their breeding ground. There was a slight intel report that 87 super mutants left the Capital Wasteland and fled somewhere else, not even the Brotherhood of Steel knew where they went. The lone Wanderer snapped out of the trance, and try to focus on his current goal to meeting Elias Fountaine.

Nicholas tapped into the frequency on his pip-boy. "Are you sure he's here?"

" _He is. I'm sure of it."_ Li assured him. _"Just play the code and he'll come out. Never forget Anchorage."_

"Strange code." Nicholas muttered as he planned the code, hearing two quick beeps and one long beep on his pip-boy. "Okay." he said confused, until a steel door opened as he equipped he wazer wifle from a kid from Lamplight name Biwwy during this mission to Vault 87

The gate opened as men and women in fatigues and brahmin-skin overalls aimed scoped R91 rifles at the Lone Wanderer. A long silence engulfed Adams Air Force Base, as Nicholas kept his eyes on the mysterious new people in the base. He spotted a another group left, then right of him as he was completely surrounded. Even in his servo-suit power armor, Nicholas felt that it was nearly impossible to take out the people inside the base. They looked trained and organized, he wondered if they were Enclave. But he put that thought aside when he saw them, lowering their weapons all of a sudden as a lone figure had step out of the shadows behind them. The figure was a man in his mid-fifties with dark gray clean cut hair and a trimmed mustache, wearing only a lab coat.

"Who are you?" the man said

"I could ask you the same thing." Nicholas replied. "So... You're Elias Fountaine. If so, I know you need my help."

"How did you acquire that code?" he demanded

"A woman by the name of Madison Li. She gave me this code." Nicholas stated

the man raised his eyebrow upon hearing the name of Doctor Li. "Madison Li." he then narrowed his eyes at the Lone Wanderer as he kept a still expression. "You look familiar."

"Really?"

"Yes. It's as if..." the man suddenly blinked. "You remind me of James."

Nicholas' eyes widened before his face turned to a serious expression. "How do you know who that is?"

"He was an old friend... and a rival, but a good man still. We hardly stayed in touch before fled to Baltimore, then the Commonwealth in Boston." he explained. "He was with his wife. Her name was-"

"Catherine."

the man stared at Nicholas with a curious and serious expression on his face. "How do you her name? No one, not even the Enclave. Only Madison and myself knew who she was. Who are you?"

"I'm the Lone Wanderer from the Capital Wasteland, and I am also James' son." Nicholas stated

"James' son? My god, no wonder you look so much like him." 'Elias' exclaimed. "But where is he? Where is your father? Or your mother"

Nicholas closed his eyes in the memory of his parents. "My mother died from cardiac arrest. My father, James, gave his life to protecting Project Purity from the Enclave."

'Elias' rest his hand on his face with a frown. "Bastards. They have went too far. Damn the Enclave. Damn the NCR of their oppresing rules. Damn those cavemen the Legion. Damn them all!"

Nicholas raised an eyebrow at the mention of this 'NCR' and 'Legion', but focused to important matters. "You are Elias Fountaine?"

said person sighed and gave up a nod. "That is only an temporary alias. My real name is Corvus Monroe." he glanced at a man beside him. "Captain Benedict. Would you give us a moment?"

"Yes sir." the armed people left he sight of both the Lone Wanderer and Doctor Corvus Monroe

"Now we have a chance to talk. But why are you here? Did Madison send you?"

"She did. She said you would be able to help against the Nerospiriodium."

"Oh, **them**. I'm not surprised."

"We know they were once humans exposed to the Troglodyte Disease Contagion and a modified strain of FEV-"

"No, not FEV. It may carry some of the syptoms, but it's not from the Forced Evolutionary Virus itself." Monroe stated. "It is from the precussor formula, it is from the Theta strain."

"Theta strain?"

"Before the FEV was created. The Pre-War government attempted to create human weapons to fight against their enemies." Dr. Monroe explained to the Lone Wanderer. "In doing so, they created a formula that seemed promising, for a while until the syptoms started to show. For the males, it was either horns, hooves, and claws. It worked differently with the female, allowing to carry a half aviarian feature of birds giving them claws and talons. The subjects were terminated and the project itself was scrubbed."

"Then the bombs fell."

"Precisely. In 2196, the Enclave took a hold of the Theta strain formula and attempted to turn it to perfection. For eighty years, they failed countless times before Oris Haller. In 2277, he was infected by the formula which allowed him to slowly turn and became what he is today."

"Kronos. He became Kronos." Nicholas concluded

"And he has taken anyone to cross his path into his test subjects. Raiders, slaver, those wildman from the Pitt. After he merged the formula with the TDC, the trogs began to obey his every command." Dr. Monroe added. "He could have hundreds, maybe even thousands."

"Then we're outnumbered."

"Not quite. This project the Enclave had me working could be beneficital in our fight against them." Monroe suggested. "Project: Reborn. The goal of Reborn was use the blood and DNA from Chinese and American soldiers in Anchorage, Alaska to bring them into the Enclave's 'noble' cause. Since a cloning lab was out of the question by west, they decided to use one in Vault 108 that would suffice for them. You saw them on display for yourself this day."

"Son of a bitch. There's a possibly that the Nerospiriodium never had to take the cloning machine once they were inside Vault 108."

"That is a possibly. The Enclave manage to do something right for once." Monroe replied before getting back to business. "When the whole personnel found out about what happened to Raven Rock, the Enclave were out of a disadvantage and my plan sprung into action two weeks later."

"What kind of plan did you have in store for the Enclave?"

"Ghost of the Patriot protocol. It was an execute order to fight the Enclave. For the first time, they were caught with their pants down." Monroe smirked at disarray the Enclave received when they were having their hands full after Raven Rock. "Once the whole Enclave problem was taken care of, I decided to keep them as my private army if they or worse came as a threat. But now I realized that you and this Coalition of yours would need them more than I will."

"You can join us. Head to the Capital Wasteland and have some fresh clean water." the Lone Wanderer suggested to Dr. Corvus Monroe

Monroe chuckled under his breath. "That would be nice. Clean water is hard to come by, I'll admit that. Is this anyway I could contribute helping you in this fight?"

"Well since you've asked, this is one thing."

Ark & Dove Cathedral, Point Lookout. 1637 hours.

The battle of Point Lookout continued on as BOS knights and paladins along with Coalition soldiers fought the bulk of the Nerospiriodium horde in the swamps. This would have been a problem with fighting swampfolk in a three-way battle, but the Nerospiriodium had exterminated all of them once they occupied Point Lookout. Since they launched a campaign to Point Lookout, they slowly started losing numbers and cannot rely on help from the Capital Wasteland due to safeguarding it from Nerospiriodium. Now they were trying to take Calvert Mansion and the Point Lookout Lighthouse from the Nerospiriodium, as Andrew Cole's Tiger squardron were aiding 14th platoon. The 11th regiment provided covering fire and sixth company to flank the left side of the Cathedral.

"Take cover!" the blast of a sonic boom dismembered and sent Coalition soldiers flying away from the ground

Andrew Cole and Michael Barnes suppressed the left flank, while Private Griffin kept launching bullets into the heads of trogs and fauns with her DKS-501 sniper rifle. A chimera tank drove its way out of Calvert Mansion, aiming at the top of the bell tower as Rose quickly left her post and headed downstair before the chimera fired. Johnson took the chimera using a missile launcher as he ducked in cover from plasma fire and irriadiated uranium bullets while Hall fired off a few shots from his gun. One by one, coalition troops were dead by either turning to plasma goo or radioactive bullets after being in a pool of their own blood as Amanda Patterson fired off her sub-machine gun. Barnes jumped onto a jeep as he shot every faun and satyr firing a mounted M1918 machine gun, before a minotaur aimed a sonic cannon at the jeep and fired. Barnes jumped out in time, but suffered his left leg being crippled only for VB-21 vertibirds to fire missile and rain down 5mm bullets at the Nerospiriodium platoon before flying away.

"They're fleeing."

"We win!"

"Yee-haw!"

"WHOOO!"

"Knock it off, you little shits! This war ain't over!" Miller shouting shutting the soldier up

"You're a real people person, Miller." Juarez muttered in sarcasm

"Fuck off, Juarez."

Johnson got out of cover and headed back to Tiger squadron. "Man, you should've seen it. I took an entire gang of minos by myself."

"Give it a rest, Joshua."

"You're full of shit, you know that?"

"What? It-"

"Just be glad you're not dead." Hall said wiping the sweat off his forehead using a rag towel

"Well done, but this war is far from over." Andrew said to his squadron. "The Nerospiriodium aren't defeated yet."

Megaton. 1948 hours.

" _AAAEEEOOOOOWWWW! Hello Capital Wasteland, this is Three Dog. Coming to ya from right here in Jamesville. We got some news, kiddies! It seems that the Coalition has finally driven the Nerospiriodium out of Point Lookout. But still no sign of Kronos, the head honcho of the Nerospiriodium armada. To add this other news, it seems that the Coalition has the help of Corvus Monroe. A scientist that managed to gain the slip of the Enclave back in '74 before he got caught. The Enclave "simply" suggested that he work on a special project but he ended up sabotaging him after that kid from Vault 101 took them down with the Brotherhood. The good doctor's plan to bring the Enclave down to size, was to bring out all soldiers from the battle of Anchorage back from the dead, a crazy project even for the Enclave. I have no idea what the hell they were thinking when the Enclave were going threw this project of theirs, but they paid for it in the end. Now, we might actually stand a chance in carrying on the Good Fight. Thanks for tuning in, ladies and gentlemen. This is Three Dog, AAAEEEEOOOOWWWWW! Telling the truth, no matter how bad it hurts. And now, for some music."_

An old song from the _Ink Spots_ started to play on the radio as the Lone Wanderer packed up a few things in his duffle bag. Weapons, meds, and supplies as he loaded a magazine in his 10mm pistol. He took out a armoured vault 101 suit from a display, along with grabbing a trench coat in his hand. The door to his house opened as Butch Deloria made his way inside the Lone Wanderer's home, wearing a t-45 power armor with a tri-beam laser rifle strapped to his back. Sentinel Lyons also made her way inside the house as Dogmeat laid chewing down on a piece of cooked meat, seeing Nicholas take a hellfire power helmet inside the bag. He checked the time on his pip-boy and looked up the stairs.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Not really, but this was her call."

"She's ready."

"Let's hope so."

They heard footsteps hit the floor upstairs, as a woman stepped down wearing Hei Gui stealth armor. She tied her dark hair back to a bun as it was revealed to be Amata, leaving her hazel eyes to have a light tint to have a natural appeal to it. Her ears perched when she heard the sound of something grabbed as a baseball was thrown at her, only for her to grab it with her own hand.

"How do you feel?"

"This is bizarre. What injection was that?"

"That was a mutagenic bioenhancer, and I injected you with Ant Sight."

"Ant sight?"

Nicholas shook his head and sighed. "Look I didn't make the name, alright? I got the serum from an idiot scientist who was tying to make ants smaller back in the Pre-War days using FEV. That lead to giant ants breathing fire and wiping out everyone on Grayditch back in '77." he stated his time when he entered Grayditch. "It didn't end well for Lesko when that ant queen ate his guts. So it was up to me to kill the damn thing and take two vials of his serum. One was for increased strength, and the other for heightened perception."

"So you have Ant Might." Amata concluded, receiving a nod from Nicholas

"Exactly, and no you're not going to turn to an ant." Nicholas replied. "As for us, we and the Pride will head somewhere else while the Coalition plans an assault on Baltimore."

"We're not going?"

"No, we're heading to the Pitt." Nicholas said. "That's where the vault dwellers came from. Blair's information using the main computer from Vault-tec confirmed it. We need to find out what's going on with that city." he declared. Sarah stood behind them as both of them were ready for the mission. "Is the Pride ready?"

"They're ready. Now let's go. We got a war to finish." Sarah replied as they left the house with Dogmeat going with the group

The Pitt. 0700 hours.

In the secure foothold of the Nerospiriodium and former slaver city called the Pitt, Nerospiriodium patrols roam the streets as some eliminated raging while others were taken. Taken to be processed and converted within the Nerospiriodium horde to serve said leader of horde stood on top the fortress of slaver and raider king, Ismael Ashur as a batch of Nero squads found hidden raiders from the Pitt to be converted and transformed into their rank. There was a moment where he admitted that this Lone Wanderer from the Capital Wasteland was a formidable and smart opponent he had encountered in his caliber. A bulking figure with red spikes on his forearms, grey charcoal skin, and wild hair step out of the shadows. He carried a plasma caster with one hand and had an arsenal of plasma weaponry on his shoulder as he approached Kronos.

"You summoned me?"

"Atlas, I want you to have your forces secure Baltimore. Do not let them gain an advantage over us along with the Pitt."

"As you command, Kronos. I shall head there now. But what of you?"

"I shall head to our fortress above further north."

"Now let the game begins." Kronos said knocking a bishop off the cheesboard before leaving the area


	7. Alliance

**AN: Sorry for the long hiatus. I was having a bit of writer's block. After Wasteland War, I may plan on a second one involving the west coast. So as always, please read, review, and enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 7: Alliance

Adams Air Force Base. 0800 hours.

Soldiers of the Coalition stood by on their mandatory stations, as new recruits ran through the base with a drill sergeant shouting at them while some did push ups and jumping jacks. Soldiers and recruits were firing targets in the shooting ranges and having grenade practice along the way, as a couple of trucks drove in to welcome new troops. A transport truck once it ended the base as men and women of the Brotherhood of Steel stepped out being saluted while they entered the base. Adams Air Force Base was the forward operation base of the Brotherhood except for Fort Constantine which was a current base for the Coalition. A vertibird landed in one of the landing pads as Lieutenants Andrew Cole and Michael Barnes step out of the latch while they were able to greeted by a fellow soldier.

"1st Lt. Cole, 2nd Lt. Barnes." the soldier saluted to said men. "Colonel Cameron requests your immediate attention."

Barnes shrugged his shoulder as he and Andrew followed the soldier escorting them to Col. Cameron. "Wonder what this is about."

"I suppose we'll find out for ourselves." Andrew stared at the new recruits and soldiers in the air force base. "Look at them. Yesterday, they were either young or old enough to stay away from the fighting. But now..." he paused seeing a couple of soldiers having hand-to-hand combat along with a few firing at the shooting range. "It looks like they want to join to end this war."

"I don't blame this. They got families to look after, and they want the Nerospiriodium dead just like me."

"You're not the first to declare that, you know."

"And damn well won't be the last. Not until this war finally ends." Barnes concluded as he and Cole entered a officer's barrack where Col. Cameron stared out the window. "Colonel."

Cameron turned his face both Andrew Cole and Michael Barnes. "Gentlemen. I take it you're wondering why I called you here. We seem to hit a snag."

"Is there a problem?"

"You could say there is. We sent a small battlation ahead to Baltimore, but it's completely taken over by the Nerospiriodium." Cameron stated. "Only three manage to made it out in time due to help from a rebel guerilla force."

"Have they revealed themselves out in the open? Sounds like they could be potential allies." Andrew suggested

Cameron had his hands behind his back. "They seem to operate covertly from time to time. They used the sewer lines to sneak through their lines."

Barnes sat on a chair with his hand behind his neck. "What is this guerilla faction composed of, anyway?"

"A small militia along with a seemingly large amount of vault dwellers." Cameron said pointing northwest of Baltimore on the map. "They're still there, but this rebel factions wants an alliance with us."

"With us or the BOS?"

"They seem to show slight distrust of the Brotherhood of Steel. It's mainly due to the arrival of the Outcasts before their destruction."

"I can't blame them. The Outcasts were pricks." Barnes said in agreement with the guerilla faction

Barnes took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth as he used his lighter to ignite it. "And because of them, this rebellion don't trust the brotherhood?" he asked inhaling his cigarette

"No, but they might hear to Owyn." Cameron replied. "Lyons said he wishes to negotiate with them himself."

Barnes blew out the cigarette as he glanced at Andrew. "What do you think?"

"They could be helpful to us, but..." Andrew trailed off before quickly glancing at his commanding officer. "What's the catch?"

"They want to have Baltimore remain their land." Cameron concluded

"Without joining the Coalition." Michael added

the old colonel nodded. "Precisely. Lieutenant, have your team join up with the 92nd, 105th, and 116th battlation." Cameron ordered. "Lyons will have a squadron of Brotherhood of Steel troops escorting him to the rebel base after we arrive."

"When do we leave?"

"At 1700 hours." he saluted the two. "Godspeed, gentlemen."

Andrew and Michael saluted back. "Yes sir."

Both men exited out of the colonel's barracks as Barnes was the first to speak. "Think these guerrila faction in Baltimore is getting the shit kicked out of them?"

"They do seem desperate. Maybe we could ally with the rebel force and strike up a bargain for both sides." Andrew suggested

Michael dropped the cigarette in his hand and stepped on it. "That is if we can. I'll get the squad together." he said walking away as he came to a stop and glanced at Andrew. "You think the Lone Wanderer is having any luck on his side?"

"No idea."

* * *

The Pitt. 0325 hours.

A railroad train steered through the abandoned tunnels of the Pre-War day, with an old man in a tattered settler outfit operating the train itself. The Lone Wanderer encountered the elderly man simply called Nomad after leaving the Pitt, involving the event that sealed the Pitt after the final battle of Ashur and Wernher. Among them were Lyon's Pride, the spec ops squad of the Brotherhood of Steel. Charon loading the drum magazine of his combat shotgun with shotgun shells, while Sydney tinkered and worked on the modifications of his 10mm sub-machine gun. Fawkes waited patiently as he read a pre-war book, slowly turning the page with certain caution in order of not using his supermutant strength to tear the book in his possession. Butch used his comb to brush his hair to the back, having his tunnel snakes leather jacket underneath a urban camo fatigue as he set his switchblade under his foot.

The lone Wanderer came in the cart with Sarah Lyons, formulating a plan once they arrived at the Pitt. Amata watched the two as they had a short laugh, before the sentinel squad leader of Lyon's Pride kissed him. That brought out feelings of old love and also jealously, seeing the best friend she fell in love with an item with someone else. But deep down, she realized she blamed herself on the choice she made to have him exile. Exiled from the home he was raised in all because there were people that blamed him and his father, James for the lives lost after the Lone Wanderer's father left the vault. Her heart sank down on the thought, especially since it caused great despair for Nicholas to lose his father to sacrifice his life in saving the Capital Wasteland. Saving his work Project Purity from falling into the hands of the Enclave. She brushed all thoughts aside to hear the song _Wanderer_ by Dion played as the Lone Wanderer listened to it, a smile crepting on his face when the song had a ring to it.

"How did you end up stomping on that FEV supply from the super mutants?" Butch suddenly asked the Lone Wanderer

Nicholas glanced at Butch with a calm demeanor as he grinned. "Remember the bomb in Megaton?"

Butch raised a quirked eyebrow. "The one the Nerospiriodium took and tried to blow the city up with?"

"Only except it was a fake." Nicholas stated to the Tunnel Snake member. "The real one was used inside Vault 87, mostly the pulse fusion charge. The coalition came into contact of another warhead. If all else fails, we use that to blow their foothold over the Pitt."

"That would piss off those vault dwellers from the Pitt."

"Not unless we can find a GECK." Nicholas replied. "From that way, they could rebuild and clean their irriadiated rivers so they could drink without turning to trogs or dying from the radioactive."

"Why so the one that vertibird took away was a dud this whole time? They were still missing and confirmed KIA." Amata pointed out until she saw the mischevious expression Nicholas had on his face. "Unless they're still alive and doing recon in the Pitt."

"That and we're meeting them once we arrive on the Pitt. Where they're hiding in one of the vaults." Nicholas explained

"Once we get there, that city will be on high alert if non-friendly forces show up." Nicholas stated

"Question: Is the Pitt a radioactive wasteland?" Butch asked loading his laser rifle with an energy cell

"Not the Pitt isn't radioactive." Nicholas answered. "The Pitt was never hit by the atomic bombs during the Great War, but the waters from the nearby Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers are highly irradiated. This seem to be the cause that turned the area inhabitats who drink the rivers into trogs." he explained. "Those irradiated waters are the reason for the Troglodyte Degeneration Contagion."

"We'll be hiding in Vault 59 once we're on the Pitt." Sarah stated to the group. "Where there's an outpost Pitt raiders used with the vault underneath it."

"No idea what was set in there though."

"After speaking to some of the inhabitats from that vault, it's a reality simulator for preparations of some space travel." Sydney stated. "How odd for vault-tec to start something like that in the Pitt."

"Would have been better if they did it in Houston."

"I remember Houston." Butch said recalling the history class when he was younger. "A city back west and they had that NASA program. The place were mankind took off in space and landed on the moon."

"A weird social experiment, courtesy of Vault-tec." Amata said. "But I have to admit, it would be pretty interesting to be in space and explore to other worlds. If that were possible, I mean."

"I've actually been to space before." Nicholas said as Amata looked at the Lone Wanderer with a confused look. "It's a long story." he told her

"And that's where we're headin'." Butch huffed. "Liking this already." he muttered in sarcasm

The train took a complete stop as it reached their destination, with the Lone Wanderer's group and Lyons Pride to step out of the train. Fawkes went over to open the gate leaving the entire team step outside before closing it back down, as everyone got a view of the Pitt. The Pitt itself was damaged due to the Great War, but there was no detection of radiation after the Pride completed their initial scan using the head-up display inside their helmets. Nicholas and Sarah took the lead as Dogmeat followed both of them, with the rest of the group keeping their fingers trained on the trigger of their weapons. The skies were slightly dark with smoke as Nicholas looked on his pipboy, seeing the destination to the outpost of the underground vault is located just a few klicks away from them.

"Kodiak, you're from the Pitt. Have anyplace where we could set up a safehouse?"

"I was here when the Scourge happened, nothing more." Kodiak stated looking to his left, then right. "I spent most of my life trying to survive like everyone else."

"Where is this vault?" Nadine suddenly asked armed with type 93 assault rifle

"Just only a mile away." Butch stated to the Pride as he and Amata checked their pipboys

Sarah side glanced at the pipboys the three vault dweller companions had on their wrists as she said. "Must be pretty handy to have something like that useful."

"A pain to sleep with sometimes. Right up until you can take it off, and it still has your dna imprint." Nicholas stated

"Must be annoying."

"You don't have no idea."

Amata moved up further to Nicholas and Sarah. "Outpost dead ahead." she said pointing to the outpost in the trainyard

"Pride, eyes open. Keep alert for any neros." Sarah ordered as Lone Wanderer and his companions took point

"Yes, ma'am."

Nicholas spotted a glinting light as he saw a Brotherhood initiate signaling that the team was inside. "There they are."

the BOS initiate saluted with his fist pounded on his chest. "Initiate Roland reporting for duty, Sentinel."

"At ease, soldier. Is everyone in inside?"

"They went scouting ahead. I was ordered to wait here upon your arrival." the initiate stated to the Lone Wanderer

the Lone Wanderer faced the Sentinel. "Sarah, why don't you and the Pride follow the initiate to the recon squad? We'll see what we can find here."

"Catch up with us after you're done."

"The password is odyssey. It'll open the vault for you." Initiate Roland added

* * *

Vault 59.

The group went inside the outpost which was a building for train parts and a cart, as they were presented with a vault door labeled 59. It was hidden away due to a trick wall and terminal as the initate typed in the password odyssey, with the walls opening to reveal an open vault. Courtesy of the initiates help, they ventured inside the vault to find the piles of goo and the corpse of a vault 59 security guard as Nicholas inspected the bodies. Aside from the blast marks on the walls, the bloodied corpse were done by trogs either before or after the Nerospiriodium's control over them.

Butch crouched down to inspect the dead body. "Trog."

"This is probably after Kronos took control of the trogs." Nicholas hinted out. "Claw marks running across the face."

"Let's see if we can find anything useful that the Nerospiriodium haven't taken." Amata suggested feeling unease

"Right."

They ventured on ahead as they kept their weapons at all times, prepared for any traps that laid in stored for them. They went down the corridor, entering a main hall atrium that resembled vault 101 as a door mysteriously slid open. Nicholas and Butch had their weapons trained at the direction of the door as the Lone Wanderer pushed forward, with both following behind him alongside Amata. The door showed a large room with exo-skeleton armor, three types of armor. One was lighter and showed some mobility, fitting for frontline assault against an enemy in battle. The other was medium weight, fitted in the field of stealth and reconnaise to secret op missions. And the last was heavy armor, almost willing to withstand a tough fight with a supermutant or to hold off a punch from someone in power armor. In front of them were three simulation pods as Nicholas began to inspect the pods, while Amata and Butch stared at the exo-sleketon armor.

"What is all of this?"

"Exo-armor from the looks of it." Nicholas answered with his eyes focused on a terminal he spotted as hacked it. "T-19 armor. Built for assault combat. The T-28s are specialist armo and T-37s are the heavy duty kind."

"These things are the predecessor of T-45 and T-51 power armors."

"Could come in handy." Amata added

"Except it needs to be unlocked by going inside the pods." Nicholas pointed out as he face the group. "If you guys see anything, pull us out of it. The safety protocols are still in." he said as Butch and Amata stepped in the simulator pods with him

"Sure about that?"

"Double checked. One more time to be sure."

"Watch yourself, Nicholas Law." Charon said

"Same goes for you all."

The pods closed as they stared into the screen, prepared to be sucked in a virtual reality. Before Nicholas focused on the screen, a dash of smoke vented inside the room were his companions as they began to fall unconscious. He was about to open an emergency hatch until he also began to fall unconscious and fade into a deep sleep. His half lidden slowly began to close, with the last thing to see was the screen itself.

* * *

Unknown location.

 _War... War never changes. In the year 2077, the entire world was on the total brink of war over obtaining nearly limited resources on the planet. Then one day on the 23rd of October 2077, Earth realized that it was not alone in the universe when an alien race from beyond the stars came to invade us. It was stopped by Maverick Horritgan, an astronaut who was taken almost six years ago by the Zetas which they had come to be called and known to everyone on Earth. After the invasion was repelled, the UN reformed and it gave the entire world new possibilites as the thought of setting into other worlds in the Solar system and beyond came to mind. Vault-tec and the United Nations set up the first lunar colony on the Moon, the first city settlement known as Cresent. Mars was the first planet to be colonized along with its moons Phobos and Deimos. Vault-tec had created devices known as the Garden of Eden Creation Kit, or G.E.C.K. to terraform the planets and moons we set colonies in through the Sol system using cold fusion technology. Although, there were problems since the era of planetary colonization began._

 _Due to a small war between Earth and Mars in 2106, the colonist turned to zombie mutants called Ghouls upon the detonation of nuclear bombs where most survived. The others before the bombs fell, were quickly effected by the Forced Evolutionary Virus and transformed the other half of the Martian colonists along with those from citizen of Earth into Super Mutants. Those on Mars were lucky enough to secure themselves into underground facilities known, as Vaults by the same company Vault-tec. It was eventually revealed that Vault-tec knew a war would brew, a war that could threaten not only Earth but Mars as well. Their goal was to set up social experiments on Mars, but only a few were a safe haven for others. Eventually, those responsible in Vault-tec were apprehended and imprisoned until death row for the lives they took. Vault-tec became under new management by former CEOs of RobCo., General Atomic Machines, and Mass Fusion._

 _The United Nations from that point on disbanded went under the form of the Earth Coalition Republic, while Mars formed into the Mars Imperium and the Ghouls settled into Lunar colonies to remain independent of both sides. And lastly the Super Mutant were united, under a banner and by their supreme leader called only the Master. In 2145, Earth and Mars went to war against each other again upon the Master's rule. The Lunar colonies on the moons stood neutral before they were invaded by the Master's army, until a man named Albert Cole put an end to the war in 2161. After the defeat of the Master and his loyalist army, relations between Mars and Earth slowly began to co-exist peacefully but stayed on each other in case of war would ever arose between the two planets again. On March 23, 2221, his grandchild who the Martians called the Chosen One defeated a human pro-extremist group known as the Enclave from wiping out all life on Mars. The Chosen One became the elder of their settlement in Mars called Arroyo._

 _In the year of 2274, the Enclave prepared an insurrection on Earth to rule over it but they were once again defeated by the milant faction on Earth known as the Brotherhood of Steel. Now both Earth and Mars are at war with a race called the Nerospiriodium in Saturn's largest moon, Titan. There is also another threat known as the Clovek that are from the far reaches of space, with no true origin to Sol Allied Force and fear their immenient arrival. Together with the Lunar colonies, they formed the Sol Allied Force. Both Earth and Mars along with the Lunar colonies had feared the day that the Zeta race which return to Earth two hundred years ago or perhaps even another race that would seek to destroy us. From that time, they stood ready and prepared themselves for the long battle that would await us. Or one that would seek to challenge our resolve and annihilate all life on the solar system. The year is now 2277, and we push on ahead in the ongoing war against the Nerospiriodium but fearing the arrival of the Clovek as well. Because if there are those who fight in countless battles in war, is that they know only one thing. Is that war... war never changes._

A pair of lips touched themselves upon Nicholas' face. "Hey, hey." the voice whispered into his ear as Nicholas' slowly opened to see Amata in a blue blouse and yellow shorts. "Are you okay?"

Nicholas looked around to observe his surroundings, seeing lush green grass along with painted houses and children playing baseball outside and a playground. From what he could gather it was Springvale. The school Springvale elementary only a few blocks away as children ran out with smiles on their faces, while running and on bicycles. A mailman delivering a piece of mail inside the mailbox, while a neighbor waved at the other with a smile as he held the newspaper in his hand. A husband and wife who was holding her baby share a quick kiss, before the husband drove away as she waved once he left their home in a business suit. An elderly woman taking care of her garden outside as she watered her plants while a teenage girl wearing green sweater dress was playing catch with her dog. Nick's eye stuck to the dog as he recognized the breed, seeing a nametag on the dogs collar, leaving him to step out of the car and walked toward the dog. The dogs ears perched as it tackled him into the ground, licking Nicholas with its tongue before a couple stepped out of their house to approach them. Nicholas' eyes completely widened with shock to see the couple to be not only Madison, but also his father before noticing the wedding ring on their fingers.

"Son?"James said as his son walked closer to him. "Nicholas, are you alright?" Nicholas responded in embracing his father in gripping hug. "Whoa, whoa. I know you've been out for almost a month on your semster but..."

Amata laid a touch on his shoulder. "Nick, are you okay?"

"I..." he paused unsure of what to say. "I had a bad dream."

"Please, come inside." Madison insisted in a gentle tone as she brought Nicholas inside the house. "You're probably tired." she glanced her attention to the teenage girl. "Helena, help me set your brother down."

"Brother? Me?" Nicholas said as he was laid down on the couch, with Amata handing him a glass of water

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Nicholas stared at the t-shirt and jeans he wore as he laid his head back on a pillow. "I'm fine. It's just some bad dream I had."

"Of what? What kind of dream has you tired?"

"I drept I was in a post apocalyptic and dstyopia world." he told them. "Where I had to fight for my life day and night."

"It sound as thought you having a nightmare about Mars. That planet was a dstyopian wasteland before the Nerospiriodium and Clovek."

"Clovek? What are they?"

"An alien race of unknown origin from another galaxy. Mars and the Lunar colonies are at war with them along with the Nerospiriodium." Helena told her, as she changed the channel on the television to show a man brodcasting the news

"On the upscale of Mars and the Lunar colonies holding the line against the Nerospiriodium horde, the hostile forces are attempting to take Mars. Also from a side note, Posiedon energies are acquiring materials from the asteriod belt while Robco and Mass Fusion jumpstart their plan to set up the satiellite defense network tower. Both companies hope that the SDN tower orbiting around Earth will be enough to fend off from invaders."

"And the republic decides to stay neutral for all the good that will do." Madison scoffed changing the channel to show the adventures of Herbert "Daring" Dashwood and Argyle

James put a hand on his wife's shoulder. "We'll be safe, Madison."

"You think that tower will protect us?" Helena asked

James kissed his daughter on the forehead. "We're fine, sweetie." he assured. "We're safe here and it's a hell of a lot better than out there."

Nicholas was having a sudden flash of his father James saying that phrase

"Are you okay?"

"It's just-"

"We cut to interrupt this broadcast short due to a news bulletin."

"It seems that we have been getting reports of Nerospiriodium attacks in major cities such as San Franciso, Phoenix, Utah, and Chicago. A warning has been issued to all major cities in the east coast. My god, they've done it." the tv switched to a please stand by screen as an alarm was heard throughout the area.

"Dad, did they-"

James reached for the arm of his wife Madison and daughter. "We have to go. NOW!"

"Nick, come on!"

The family began to evacuate the house as they followed others fleeing the other citizen of D.C. with Nicholas and Amata behind them. The military formed a blockade outside the town of Springvale as a soldier pointed at a blue sphere that began to teleport the citizens away from the town. James let his wife and daughter go in the sphere first, while his son Nicholas and his girlfriend followed behind as he spotted a injured man on the ground. Amata went inside the sphere and was teleported, as Nicholas spotted his father helping a wounded man with a sprained ankle before seeing a searing explosion had their way. James glanced over his shoulder to see the explosion hurtling their way with widened eyes, as he was heading to send the injured man his son's way.

"Go. Now!"

"I said no! Not without you!" Nicholas shouted as his father lend him to the injured citizen before pushing both of them into the sphere. "No... NOOOOOOO!" he yelled out as he was engulfed in the sphere and teleported, before seeing his father vaporized

Nicholas and the injured man arrived at the sphere in the lunar settlement, Cresent as Amata rushed to his aid. Madison and Helena came in to their see as they saw Nicholas, but James was nowhere to be seen. Helena covered her mouth as tears began to swell up while Madison fell on her knees, crying over the lose of her husband. Nicholas suffered another flash seeing his father die in a facility by men in dark power armor, then passed out to an unconscious state as Amata caught him in her arms.


	8. Wrath of the Nerospirodium

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fallout  
**

 **Please read, review, and enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Wrath of the Nerospiriodium  
**

 _How many lives were lost? How many were taken? No one didn't see this coming. The world thought it was safe that it was protected but the Nerospiriodium proved that wrong. Fifty thousands lives were lost, including my father's. Ellen Deloria, Butch's mother invited mom and Helena to stay at her place in Baltimore. Amata stayed due to her father's choice, and by my choice as well since I didn't want to lose her. No one questioned how the SDN tower failed to stop the nerospiriodium, but most people on Earth believed it was nothing than a quick hit and run at Earth's defense. And just like that, Earth declared war on the Nerospiriodium armada. I joined the republic army the next day, along with my childhood bully now friend Butch Deloria. We spent six months training down at the military base on Cresent, preparing ourselves for the war that awaited both of us. While we trained, the Earth Coalition Republic manage to retake the major cities and organize defensive fortress upon them. The day came when Earth allied with the lunar colonies and Mars, planning to help the forces on the red planet retake it. We were sent to repel an invasion from the Nerospiriodium, and they needed to be stopped. This wasn't just our mission, this... was our initiation._

Nicholas Law along with Butch Deloria wore black bodysuit which were covered combat plating on the chest, shoulders, arms, and legs. The two sat on the seat of the pods as they were armed with light assault rifles. These rifles were a combination of laser and assault rifles which fired energized bullets, all carried within a clip cell. With them were Paul Hannon, Freddie Gomez, and Wally Mack as they joined the two in a six man pod for transporting soldiers. Their commanding officer, Sgt. Dave Marsh joined them as he got into his seat with Nicholas having a sudden flash of Jonas wearing a lab coat underneath a blue jumpsuit.

"About time we're taking the fight to those bastards."

"Settle down, Private." Marsh said to Gomez remained silent with a nod. "Alright Jackhammer squad, listen up. Approximately at 0221 hours, the Nerospiriodium locked out the city of New Anchorage. We're joining with Brotherhood of Steel forces attempting to retake it back."

"Wonder if this is going to be anything like Great War battle of Anchorage."

"Keep thinking that Hannon, and it just might. Already lock and loaded?"

"Yes sir!"

"Time for some shock and fucking awe!"

The pod dropped down into orbit as Nicholas looked up to see the ship named S.S. Rivet, before an incoming enemy torpedo launched at the hull. The pods of the Rivet jettisoned down into the atmosphere with both being shot down before hitting a 12 story building. Sol Allied Force star fighters begin their dog fight in space and on the air as transport ships descending down near the LZ. Unfortunately, a thermal shell hit the pod of Jackhammer squad as the pods auto-destination landing system crashed and Paul Hannon was hanging onto his life. Due to the breach growing closer as Nicholas bring him in and closed it, saving Paul's life but received another flash of Paul's body being kept in a steel coffin follow by a bag. The pod crashed inside a 50 story high building, descending down into the third floor of the building as Jackhammer came out of the pod after opening the hatch.

"Everyone, get ready to go out fighting! We got eight seconds before neros show up in this position."

The Jackhammer squad burst out the hatch with their weapons trained and fingers on the trigger, spotting a group of fauns and satyrs as they opened fire to flank them. The nerospiriodium retaliated and fired back at them as Paul Hannon took a shot in the head, a hole where his eye use to be as blood oozed out from the back of his head. Once Nicholas saw his corpse, he kept receiving flashes of different perspectives of Paul Hannon dying in an underground facility and where he currently was.

"Can't be real. Can't be real."

"Nicky. What's wrong with you, man?"

"He's losing it."

"Law, snap out of it!" Marsh yelled as the commanding officer of Jackhammer squad was turned into goo from a energy weapon

the four surviving soldiers of Jackhammer squad took cover. "They just took out the Sarge!" Freddie panicked

"Get a hold of yourself!"

Nicholas received another flash of sgt. Dave Marsh was impaled by a deathclaw, with the difference being it was on Earth instead of Mars. He started to have memories of Butch bullying him since they were kids and older in the same facility Paul had died. Remembering Butch, Paul, and Wally wearing leather jackets with a snake on the back while he and Amata wore blue jumpsuit which had a 101 printed on them. While he was receiving flashes upon flashes of memories, Wally and Freddie were impaled by a minotaur before Butch emptied his energy clip inside its head. Another minotaur sliced a cut on Butch's chest as he knelt down, blocking another slash from the minotaurs flaming ax until it sent a quick blow across his face. The minotaur set its hoove on Butch's throat, readying the ax with a strong swing as Nicholas eyes widen.

The ax hacked off Butch's head, as it started to roll until his head turned to ashes.

"ENOUGH!" he snapped in a shout. "Enough of these charades! All of this is not real! SHOW YOURSELVES! WHOEVER YOU ARE! WHATEVER YOU ARE!"

Everything froze in place as the minotaurs ax was still in place, with an old balding haired man wearing nothing but a lab coat. The Lone Wanderer could not believe that this man was here, the same one he encountered on a quest to find his missing father. A vault which was the social project of a virtual reality, all lead by an insane madman playing god with his creation to make a world of his own image.

"When we first met, you were suppose to be perfect puppet to do my bidding." the man said in a snarl. "But after what happened in the lane, you've made life difficult so much which left me to suddenly wonder into here. With a protective and shackled intelligence to keep me company."

"Enough of this, Braun. Lives are at stake in the real world."

"Yes, yes. I know of Kronos and the Nerospiriodium."

"So you've met him?"

a smile crept on Braun's face. "I volunteered, actually. All the opportunity to finally have my vengeance upon you. You have ruin my chance to be a god."

The building started to cave in trapping Butch in a rubble, while a group of Nerospiriodium armed their weapons at Nicholas. As he had no available weapon all of a sudden, the Lone Wanderer slowly began to walk closer to Braun.

Nicholas took another step toward Braun. "A god in a virtual world. You have a serious case of god-complex syndrome." he said, sending a left cross to Braun's jaw as blood went down his mouth. "And of all people, you ended up here. In this virtual reality. How we could've been if the bombs didn't fall. Of me having a family. My father."

"How... how could you do this resistant it all of a sudden?!"

Nicholas took a step forward. "My memories started to kick in, giving me a true insight of what was real and what wasn't."

"Enough of the games, Braun."

A green holographic woman in a dress appeared. "I agree." pieces of Braun began to digitize as his consciousness was beginning to fade away

"You! You foolish piece of software! How dare you do this! I am-"

"You are nothing." she said, permanently deleting the remains of Braun. "Begone."

"Who? What is your name?"

"I am Alessia. The virtual intelliegence of Vault 59. I was present when the one called Kronos invaded this vault."

"Is he still here? In the Pitt?"

"Negative. It is possibly that he fled elsewhere. For now, shall we wake up the rest of your friends?"

"Do it." Nicholas said as a white light engulfed everything around it including the Lone Wanderer

* * *

 **Vault 59. VR simulation pods**

Nicholas along with Butch and Amata stepped out of the pods as the cases which held the T-19, T-28, and T-37 opened up. Before they approached the exo-armor, they went to go wake up their group as Fawkes and Sydney were woken up by Amata. Nadine and Charon were waken up by Butch while Nicholas shook Dogmeat, with the canine waking up as the Lone Wanderer patted his dog on the head. The Lone Wanderer packed the trench coat in Nadine's bag, as Nicholas strapped on the t-19 power armor. Butch strapped the T-37 power armor and Amata the T-28 power armor. The three vault dwellers of Vault 101 armed their weapons, with Butch carrying a Xuanlong assault rifle and Amata's reservior rifle which had a suppressor while Nicholas checked his pip-boy.

"I have the most cringe worthy headache i've ever had." Sydney said

"Here. Have some aspirin." Nicholas offered her a pill as she took it to ease her migraine

"I wasn't expecting to be that long in here. How long were we out?"

"A few hours. Five or six at the least."

"Shit. We're suppose to meet up with the Pride."

"My sensors have detected incoming Nerospiriodium heading east outside of Vault 59."

"Who said that?"

"Alessia." Nicholas noticed the looks Amata and everyone else give him. "It's a long story. I'll explain later."

"Nerospiriodium have breached the vault. Estimated time twelve minutes. Seven squads well- armed."

"Looks like we're about to have company."

"Alright, we'll set up an ambush for them." Nicholas declared as he pointed the upper west corridor of the atrium to Butch and Sydney. "Butch and Sydney you two got the left side of the atrium." he pointed the west corridor to Amata and Fawkes. "Amata and Fawkes on the right. Charon, you're with me and Dogmeat."

"Time to test this piece of hardware."

"For once I agree with you, Butch." Amata said. "Let's put these exo-suits to use." a grapple hook fired from her wrist as she climbed up. "Well that happen. I think I'm going to like this."

"Me too." A plasma grenade rolled down by his foot as the Lone Wanderer. "They're here!" he yelled kicking the grenade away from him as it exploded

"Kill the inferiors! Kill them all!"

"Here comes the welcoming committee!" Butch yelled out

Fawkes and Amata were the first to open fire, launching out laser and bullets at fauns and trogs. Laser against plasma, and bullets against irradiated bullets as the Lone Wanderer's group pressed against the Nerospiriodium attack force. The t-37 power armor protected Butch from the ballistic damage as he fired the tri-beam laser rifle at a couple of minotaurs, until one of them rammed him toward a wall. It lunged its fist as Butch used the hydraulics inside the armor hold the punch back. He used his free hand and formed a fist, sending it across the minotaur's head as it staggered back and turned the nero to ashes. Amata fired her grapple hook at a faun as she pulled it back toward her, launching a right hook at its jaw. Blood spilled out from its mouth as its leg twitched, before Amata put two to the head with her .45 thompson sub-machine gun.

Nadine shot a few satyrs and harpies, one by one with a sniper rifle in her hands. Taking headshots and random shots in the gut to pin them down, while Charon kept firing with his combat shotgun. Dogmeat circled back and took a left, pouncing on an unsuspected trog with the canine's teeth on its arm as blood drew. Charon shot a buckshot at the trog's head which exploded into pieces of brain matter, as Nicholas kept firing his Xuanlong assault rifle. A faun was able to toss out a plasma grenade, until Nadine shot it at twenty yards away as the explosion took out satyrs and a minotaur in the process. The remaining nerospiriodium force inside the vault now consisted of drones and fauns, leaving the group to pour everything they had on the last wave. A harpy suddenly tackled Amata and tried to peel her eyes out with its talons, as Amata took out her trench knife before stabbing it in the neck. Nadine took out the last two fauns fleeing away, shooting them in the back of the head while Butch made they were dead after the shooting.

"Well, that seems to be all of them." Nicholas replied reloading his weapon as did the others after the battle

"How many more of these assholes are there in the Pitt?" Butch inquired checking out the scope of his tri-beam laser rifle

"Total estimate currently of Nerospiriodium forces temporarily consist of half a platoon."

"Where's the rest of the Nerospiriodium forces?"

"In Baltimore occupying another army."

"The Coalition."

"They are currently in conflict with another group here in the Pitt." Alessia stated. "Analyzing from camera systems in Pittsburgh... t-45 power armor. Energy weaponry. Lyons' Pride, Brotherhood of Steel."

"Looks like the Pride is having the same luck we are."

"Everyone, move out!"

* * *

 **Baltimore. 1340 hours.**

"Nerospiriodium have taken over the southeast sector! All remaining guerrilla forces fall back!"

"Tiger squad, let's give 'em a hand. Provide covering fire while the civilians get to a safe place."

"Hellion, incoming!"

The hellion sent out an incoming missile that struck a transport truck, killing a few men in the process. 50 cal turrets from two half trucks opened fire as one came crashing down on the west section of the attack. Fauns and satyrs jumped down from the town roofs as they fired, having some Coalition and rebel soldiers ducking in cover. The rest were shot down with Johnson and Griffin providing fire, leaving Hall and Patterson to carry the wounded out of the way.

"Jesus! Where the hell is the BOS?!"

"They're preoccupied at the moment with neros coming from the northeast while we're dealing with the south and west section."

Miller kicked the jaw of a faun and continued firing his mingun at neros. "Well they fuckin' better hurry up!"

Miller and Jaurez' squads, Dagger and Hatchet took the front holding their positions against the repelling Nerospiriodium forces occupying the south section. Two of Dagger squad mates covering the right flank, leaving their squad leader and Miller to retaliate against three Nerospiriodium pack. A searing beam of light hit a deserted donut shop where the rebel faction and Coalition soldiers as two chimera tanks suddenly appeared on the right side.

"Chimeras! Take cover!"

One of the chimera tanks shot out another blast as an explosion four soldiers in the process. Johnson and Barnes covered Hall and Andrew as they grabbed themselves missile launchers from the weapons crate. They fired the rocket propelled missiles at the chimera tanks on their left as it exploded in a fiery flame. 1st lieutenant Jim Toshi arrived with Spear squad to aid in both Dagger and Hatchet squad in retaliating Nerospiriodium forces. A vertibird zoomed in firing a mounted minigun while missiles shot down, until a mini nuke struck the vertibird as it descended down in a crash.

"Incoming!"

"Fuck me! Where the hell are the reinforcements?!"

"I'm radioing in HQ right now. What the fuck is going on the north section of this?" Patterson flicked on the communicator in her helmet. "HQ, do you read? This is Tiger squad. Where are reinforcements? We are pinned down! Repeat: we are pinned down!"

" _Be advised, tiger squad. Allied reinforcements are heading their way to assist. Eta is eleven minutes."_

"BOS?"

"Standby for assistance. Reinforcements are on the way. Over and out"

"What the hell was that about?"

Barnes toss a fragmentation grenade twenty yards away as it exploded. "Who knows? In the meantime, we need to keep these pricks occupied until the calvary arrives."

"Agreed. Patterson and Hall, you two assist sgt. Miller and staff sgt. Jaurez from the east. Johnson and Griffin assist lt. Toshi's squad on the west. Barnes and I will hold the line with the rebels."

"Sir."

"Those damn reinforcements better get here. And fast."

Hall and Patterson assisted Miller and his squad, providing covering fire as two more Coalition made it to cover. A faun jumped up until Patterson shot it in the legs, stomping its head in with her foot. Jaurez fired his AK-47 at the incoming satyrs charging their way with flaming swords, but was surprised to see a minotaur charging beside the satyrs. His eyes narrowed at the possession in the minotaur's hand, strongly resembling a mini nuke with an incoming detonation.

"Bomber." he muttered as he turned to his squad. "Take out that bomber before he blows up the damn gate! Take out those covering the bomber!"

Griffin used the scope on her sniper rifle to see the minotaur bomber. "Fuck me. Johnson, cover me! I need to get a clear shot on that bomber! lt. Cole, sir!"

"I see them. We'll take out satyrs and fauns covering the bomber! Just be ready to take the shot once you have a clearing."

With the help of Spear and Hatchet squad, they began mowing down neros protecting the bomber as three squad mates of Hatchet and two of Spear being shot. Wally Mack and Freddie Gomez arrived in time to support the left flank, taking out those guarding the bomber as Griffin had a clear shot. Unfortunately, a missile struck the bomb in the minotaur's hand as it set off an explosion before Griffin could stop the bomber. The explosion destroyed the gate as it sent the rebel and Coalition soldiers flying away, with the remaining groups on the ground. Andrew brought his head up slowly to see a minotaur about to stomp on his head, only for it to be turned to ashes by a shot from a laser rifle. He looked up to see the one responsible as everyone was getting up on their own, to spot a squadron in power armor. Black and red power armor.

"Outcasts? Well, this is a fucking surprise."

* * *

 **Middle town. The Pitt. 2046 hours.**

The Pride fired on the mysterious enemy, with the combination of laser fire and gauss rifle blasts against incoming satyrs and minotaur soldiers. The harpies yelled out a screeching cry, as fauns and trogs opened fire killing three BOS initiates in the process. Knight Captains Colvin and Dusk crouched on top of a three story building, sniping off the heads of incoming neros assisting enemy forces. Sentinel Lyons along with Paladins Kodiak and Glade repelled back firing red lights of fire from their laser rifles, as Knight Captain Gallows dragged an injured initiate out of the way. Colvin and Dusk took the final skirmishers out with their gauss rifles as the skirmish was over.

Sarah shot a few shots from her AE79 laser rifle at a charging minotaur, as it turned to nothing but ashes. "Gallows, assist Colvin and Dusk up on the roof. Take initiate Booker with you." she ordered

"Sarah do you read?"

"I'm here. We're currently settled in a bakery shop four klicks away from our skirmish."

"Understood. On our way there now."

"Hurry soon. I just got some news."

* * *

 **Low town. The Pitt. 0150 hours.**

The Lone Wanderer along with his team and Lyons' pride were in position by a bakery store, away from patrolling nerospiriodium patrols. An initiate, along with Gallows and colvin took watch while Sarah told the Lone Wanderer of what happened in Baltimore.

"The Outcasts are still kicking?"

"Apparently so." Sarah replied. "Casdin survived the attack from the Nerospiriodium. The Brotherhood and Outcast have an alliance. Only on one condition."

"In exchange for Liberty Prime." Nicholas concluded as Sarah nodded her head in reply

Butch shook his head. "You got to be fucking kidding."

"How long before they get here?"

"They'll be here at dawn."

"Then we better as soon as the fighting hits."

"And the second surge along with it." Kodiak concluded as they began to formulate a plan inside Kronos' fortress in search of Atlas


	9. Second Scourge

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fallout  
**

 **Please read, review, and enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 9: Second Scourge

Railway tunnel to the Pitt. 0600 hours.

A pre-war monorail train, packed with Coalition soldiers and Brotherhood of Steel in tow as Outcasts were on the line in the front of the train. Casdin and his remaining Outcast squadron stood ready, using their tactics and strategy to retaliate against the Nerospiriodium in the Pitt. Both Outcasts and Brotherhood of Steel have been to the Pitt before. Each of them remembering and recalling the Scourge where they wiped out the raiders and mutant trogs that contaminated the city. Although, it came to the abandonment of Ishmael Ashur who eventually became the slave master of the Pitt. For years, he spent an amount of time to find a cure for the troglodyte degeneration contagion. Cameron was currently promoted to General with Sgt. Wally Mack leaning on a wall behind him.

"Alright. Listen up, people." Paladin Tristan said as a holographic display present itself upon Coalition and BOS forces. "The Nerospiriodium have both the Downtown and Midtown section occupied. Uptown is heavily fortified and Kronos' second-in-command, Atlas in oversees the defense of the Pitt. Coalition will come in from the sea using an tanker ship they've acquired from Baltimore. Forces composed of Brotherhood of Steel and Outcast shall attack from the air."

Col. Cameron stepped forward. "Our main objective will be to take both towns. Low and mid from Nero forces. The secondary objective would be to shut their defenses so our troops could land." he stated. "Ground troops such as ourselves shall enter from the railway tunnels here. Lowtown has enemy firepower that we're expecting neros around the sector. From what we can tell, there's three chimera tanks and Hades class cannons preventing our troops having a decent LZ."

"The point is," Tristan took a step forward. "You fall in line during this mission, you damn well better stay in line. Back then, before the Coalition was formed we've dealt with the trogs. But now, they're more stronger. Faster, and more intelliegent instead of primal. They are apart of the Nerospiriodium horde, with the sole intent of taking control of ruling all lives on the wasteland. And I will be damned if we let these slippery bastards win."

"Everything solely depends on our success. I know some of our brothers and sisters are from the Pitt. But most of those from the Coalition are from here as well. From this day forth, this will be the Second Scourge and I intend we be the victor." Casdin concluded. "Ad Victoriam."

"Ad Victoriam."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"To victory for Latin." Rose answered

"Dismissed."

"Do you trust Casdin?"

"I only trust in Owyn." Cameron replied. "Not sure of the rest in the Brotherhood. Are we even sure this is a good idea to team up with the Outcasts of all people?"

"We don't have any other choice in the matter."

"It's all we got."

Outside and on the coast waters of the Pitt, the tanker ship of the USS Deliverance anchored down. Ships were descended and landed on the water as they sailed toward the apocalyptic city of Pittsburgh. Although the city itself was not hit by the bombs, the rivers were irradiated through industrial pollution after the war. Among them were Freddie Gomez, Wally Mack, and his sister Susie. They were accompanied by Bob Marsh, along with Tom and his wife Mary Holden, donned in standardized combat armor. They were called upon by the Coalition due to their knowledge of being in the Pitt first hand given the squad name Hammer. Freddie handed Wally a pair of binoculars to assess the battle of the Pitt, seeing a couple of boats being shot down by heated motor rounds. Three row boats were taken down, as coalition soldiers were flying in the air before falling into the ocean.

"I'm starting to realize how those US troops storming Normandy felt like." Wally suddenly announced. "This is hell."

"Yeah." Freddie replied in agreement. "This almost feels like we're in World War 2 right now. Just with modern Pre-War technology and weapons before the Great War." he heard retching coming from Tom Holden. "Tom, are you alright?"

"I'm just a little seasick that's all, or I ate a bad case of mole rat on a stick."

"Thank god I didn't have any of that." Freddie joked, turning to see Susie staring down into the ocean with her hands on her .45 sub-machine gun. "Something on your mind?" he asked

"Do you think we can win this war?"

Bobby took a step forward. "We got the Brotherhood and your friend, the Lone Wanderer backing us up. With some help from the Outcast, we could actually have a chance to win."

"I miss Paul." Susie said, as Freddie and Wally lowering their heads down while Tom and Mary glanced at her. "What do you guys think he'd say?"

"He'd probably say he would be glad he's out in the outside world. To be in the wastes, even thinking about exploring it."

"Yeah... he would've been in a caravan traveling west or up north." Freddie added. "Since we're at war, he always said he wanted to be drive a tank. He'd love it."

"That he would."

"Reaching the Pitt in twenty seconds!"

"Here we go."

"Ready."

"It's okay. I'm ready."

"Ten seconds!"

"Let's give 'em hell!"

"Incoming!"

A sudden explosion knocked Freddie Gomez and the others off the boat, before it was shot down as they swam close to the battle underwater. Susie saw one coalition soldier before getting killed, while two more swimmed toward the battle until they were quickly killed. Once out of water, Hammer squad gasped for air as the beach became a bloodbath upon seeing coalition being gunned down before. Men and women of the coalition were filled with radioactive bullets. Turned to green goo and limbs dismembered from explosions and sonic booms. Hammer squad manage to take cover from a destroyed boat as Susie and Freddie flanked down suppressing fire leaving Wally to lead Tom and Mary Holden to another flanking position from the west section of the beach.

"Where's the damn Brotherhood with that air support?"

"Should be coming in... now!" P-80 fighters dropped down min-nukes as Vertibirds rained down fire support

"About time. Now let's into the city to get this over with."

Susie and Freddie joined the fray, as they fired their weapons to lend aid while Bob rushed in firing his minigun. Susie shot down harpies using a sniper rifle while Freddie started shooting charging fauns and trogs with his combat shotgun, kicking an incoming trog in the process. Brotherhood Paladins and Outcast Defenders dropped down on the ground from the air, firing gatling lasers. Four more dropped shooting light and fire from their AER9 laser rifles. A minotaur did a quick tap on the shoulder of its brethren, leaving the rest call the other nerospiriodium to fall back and head off downtown. A chimera tank drove in and fired its cannon taking out three Paladins and one Defender. The USS Deliverance anchored down as it opened its cargo hatch, before dropping off a support bridge to have tanks and transport trucks roll into the beach. A half-track drove toward Hammer squad as it came to a halt.

"Beach is clear. Proceed on to the city." A Outcast Defender moved forth before glancing at Hammer squad. "Time to see what you and your Coalition are all made of."

"Tanks are already coming in from the Deliverance. Let's get on this half-track. Freddie, you drive. I got the .50mm."

"Got it. Think they're alright?"

"They're still alive, Freddie. I know it."

* * *

Downtown. The Pitt. 0701 hours.

The Nerospiriodium began in a heated battle between Coalition Tactial Rapid Assault Force and Enforcers soldiers. Shadowfaxs and Taskmasters took the fight ot the buildings of Midtown. Scoping and supporting the left flank, as Taskmasters fired their sniper rifles at trenched satyrs and harpies dealing damage to Coalition forces. With minotaurs leading the charge, Enforcers retaliated with the incoming rally of a tank and three humvees raining bullets and explosive shells. Among the battle of the Pitt between Coalition and Nerospiriodium horde, was Tiger squad as they lead support to Dagger and Hammer squad on the right flank. Two of the humvees were hit from behind by a minotaur holding a sonic cannon which sent them in the air, exploding upon impact from a building to the left.

The Brotherhood of Steel were holding their group at the attack of the Nerospiriodiums as three Outcasts ended up dead from a plasma caster hit. The Pride fired back at the enemy, with the combination of laser fire and gauss rifle blasts while Tiger squad retaliated in bullets. The harpies yelled out a screeching cry, as fauns and trogs opened fire leaving Lyon's Pride to cover the right flank for Tiger squad. The Pride were now going to have new stories to tell about the Second Scourge. Trogs, fauns, and harpies were in a pool of their own blood while the rest were now piles of ash. Butch and Sarah were turning fauns, trogs, and minotaurs to piles of dust while a satyr pulled out a flaming sword and stabbed a TRAF soldier in the heart and decapitated an Enforcer's head. a small team of Shadowfax and Taskmasters repelled an enemy garrison on the southeast of Downtown. A minotaur slammed the hilt of a proton ax at an Enforcer that sent him flying, as it cut off the soldier's torso in half follow by the head. His rolling head was covered in ash and blood, as Sarah shot the minotaur in the head with her laser rifle with Lyon's Pride laying down suppressing on the court side of worker's tenant.

Andrew Cole fired his assault rifle left and right, shooting each trog in the head as a satyr began to charge him. He grabbed a flaming shish kebab sword and stabbed it right in the chest shooting its head off. A minotaur was shot at pin point accuracy as Patterson shot more trogs in the head and sterum. Andrew was tossed off the minotaur as Susie took it as an opportunity to move away and shot it using a lightning rifle that electrocuted it before it fell. Freddie firing the turret in the humvee, mowing down minotaurs and trogs. A few fauns were hit from heavy turret gun-fire, before a satyr shot him in both the shoulder and arm as he fell to the ground.

"Freddie!"

"Damn it. Man down!"

"Medic!"

"We need to set up the bomb before we lose this fight."

"It'll take one squad to set the bomb inside Haven. If we encounter Atlas, we'll stall him while Hammer squad sets up the detonation. Shawna will be with Hammer."

"And if we catch Atlas on us?"

"Dagger and Reilly's Rangers will back you up from any . But if you encounter Atlas, set the detonation and get the hell out of there."

The Nerospriodium were held up in a nearby building close to Haven, the former fortress of the late Ishmael Ashur. Flash reloaded his assault rifle while he took cover as Brick fired her minigun as Flash began firing back his weapon at the satyrs and trogs covered the building. All of a sudden, a bullet was launched into the back of a satyr's skull as Flash glanced up to see Bittercup up on a roof after the beast dropped its weapon. She had her hair over the shoulders, as she kept picking them up one-by-one while she looked back to notice more of them. Accompanying her was accompanied byTimebomb, launching out grenade shells from his grenade launcher.

"What do you know, Babe? You get to set up a nuke."

Timebomb rubbed the hair of his curly dark hair as he stared down with his hazel eyes. "Setting up a nuke is not what I had in mind." he said to his girlfriend

"Look at it this way. We'll be out before it even sets off."

"Fair point. Let's get this done."

"Took the words right out of my mouth, kid."

They felt air blow their hair as Bittercup and Timebomb looked up to see a vertibirds hovering the air before firing a missile at the gate. The Brotherhood of Steel were holding their group at the attack of their unknown enemy, having advanced weapons and plasma weapons. A slate grey and blue highlight grenade that landed near a paladin's foot, as it exploded into a scorching blue fire that burned the body to scorching dust. Chimera tanks reign fire upon them as BOS initiates and paladins stayed down to take cover. Nicholas and his group took cover behind the rocks as they fired their weapons back at their new and mysterious enemy. His eyes focused on the chimera tanks opening fire on the Brotherhood and Outcast, as the modified M4 sherman tanks fired back keeping the chimera tanks occupied. The Coalition were using soldiers along with the Brotherhood. Even with the Fate Insurgencytrying to broker an alliance with the ghoul Insurgency. That led to have the atomic bomb in Megaton to sent into the Pitt and the coverup being that a vertibird ocean before exploding.

"Truck's taking the bomb inside the garage below Haven."

"Move out!"

* * *

Haven, Midtown. The Pitt. 0825 hours.

Brotherhood of Steel repell against the Nerospiriodium. Both Lyons' chapter and the Outcasts that served Casdin's side hold the line by firing weapons of both light and fire. A rolling head of a BOS paladin ran off the ground, as more paladins and knights charged forward firing their energy based laser weapons. They took cover under the trenches as plasma blasts rain down on them, turning a couple of knights into piles of goo. Blast after blast, initiates and paladins were losing their limbs and lives through plasma fire as a knight fired off a shot from a gauss rifle. Then all of a sudden, a holographic blue light shot his body as the knight's head blew clear off.

"Move it, you maggot-eating vermin!" a Minotaur shouted with authority leading a squad. Two fauns, six trogs, and a harpie as they exited the east entrance of the Capitol building. "We shall not let these pestering humans and ghouls to defeat us!"

Inside, the Lone Wanderer and his group moved forward to proceed with caution as Nicholas motion his hand for his team to form up on him once inside the west entrance. The Lone Wanderer along with Amata and Butch, made use of the early t series power armors. his group inside Haven. It was mainly a ripped and torn blue business with ripped black fishnet tights. Black shin-high boots and black fingerless gloves. The Lone Wanderer himself held on to a AER9 laser rifle in his hand, as he wore his medic power armor while Fawkes and Charon took positions on the left. Law and Nadine took the right position as they suddenly heard screams of terror in a room left of their flank.

"What's the plan?"

"All I got is go in and guns blazing."

"Sounds good enough to me."

"Ready when you are, Nicky." Nadine said

"3..." Charon slowly gripped the knob on the door. "2..." Nadine took the safety off the Xuanlong assault rifle. "1."

Charon and Fawkes barged the door opened with their weapons armed to the teeth, firing at Nerospiriodium forces occupying the building. They had explosive collars wrapped their necks, the same ones when they encountered the Pitt vault dwellers. The group had bewildered and shocked expressions on their face, all except for the Lone Wanderer who had already encounted the aliens.

"How is this possible?" the Lone Wanderer mouthed seeing the zetans made slaves of the Nerospiriodium

Charon walked toward the Lone Wanderer and asked. "What are they?"

"They're zetan workers." LW answered staring at the little green people. "Probably from the zeta support ship I blew off. How the fuck did they get here?"

Nadine stared at the collar stayed in a green light. "We can ask them later. Right now we have to deal with Atlas." she stated.

"First things first." Nicholas replied, tossing out a hi-tech grenade as a green light shot out from it. "Sally. I have some alien workers with me. I'm teleporting them to the ship. Keep them on observation. Teleport everyone on this exact spot except for me, Charon, and Fawkes."

" _You got it._ _"_

"Stand by. We might radio you in for a quick transport onto the ship."

" _Roger that."_

the Lone Wanderer his attention to his ghoul and supermutant companion. "Fawkes and Charon, you two are with me."

Charon and Fawkes wiped off every remaining Nerospiriodium with red laser fire and shotgun shells. The lone wanderer took a plasma grenade and threw it at pack of trogs as it exploded. Having them transformed into nothing but green goo, before firing a few last shots in his laser rifle before the weapon was completely jammed. Fawkes tossed a Nerospiriodium energy based shotgun called the scattergun, as the Lone Wanderer kept firing. Piles of ash and dust filled the halls as they avoided blasts of fire coming from a heavy incinerator. Resembling Typhon, a bulking humanoid armed with clawed hands and feet, armor garbed in human skulls with the head on the side of his waist. The only difference was that he had a helmet with deathclaws skull.

"So you are this Lone Wanderer I have heard about." Atlas boasted aiming his heavy incinerator directly at the fabled hero of the Capital Wasteland. "I am not impressed."

the Lone Wanderer kept his "I honestly don't really care what you think. You're going to tell him were to find Kronos. Even if it means me and my big green friend here have to pry that out of you."

"Move!"

"This is your attack force. I am insulted."

"Go fuck off."

Atlas lounged out of nowhere directly toward the supermutant companion of the Lone Wanderer as they crashed wall-to-wall. Fawkes kicked off of him along with sending a kick to the gut, only for his foot to be caught and tossed near another wall. The nerospiriodium second-in-command prepared to stomp the supermutant's face in, before Fawke grabbed his foot and launched a left hook across Atlas' face. Fawkes sent out another jab follow by a right cross as Atlas fists collided with the Vault 87 supermutant, until the nerospiriodium headbutted him. Charon rushed in to help his fellow comrade as Atlas threw the supermutant toward the ghoul bodyguard of the Lone Wanderer.

"I am not a lightweight like Typhon. Do not underestimate me."

"Underestimate this."

Atlas blocked the bullets using his left arm while he tossed out a banquet of jumping bean grenades at the Lone Wanderer. Fawkes grabbed a nearby sonic cannon and fired it at Atlas who evaded the blast completely while the Lone Wanderer retaliated by shooting at the nerospiriodium second-in-command with a plasma rifle. Atlas dashed forth and grabbed the Lone Wanderer by the neck, as he pulled out his 10mm pistol shooting his neck and torso before the nerospiriodium felt a quick pain in his back. The nerospiriodium colonel turned to see a proton ax at his back, courtesy of Charon as Atlas fell to the floor bleeding. Coughing out blood, Atlas took one last look at the Lone Wanderer as the fabled hero crouched down to hear utter words while in the dying breath of the nerospiriodium.

"What did he say?"

"He said enough. Now let's get the hell out of here."

* * *

Uptown. The Pitt. 0855 hours.

Brotherhood and Outcasts vertibirds soared in the air while Coalition military vehicles drove off and with the ghoul insurgency in tow. Paladin Tristan could see them heading to the Deliverance and a couple of tanker ships courtesy of the resistance in Baltimore arrive to pick up the troops. The vertibirds jettisoned away from the city coming off to twelve miles in the ocean as they were now alongside the tanker ships carrying the army of the coalition. Among the vertibirds were known other than Lyons' pride.

"Hammer squad. Report. Have you set off the nuke?"

"We have, but me and my wife are staying here. The rest of Hammer squad have already been picked up. I had no choice but to set the nuke manually due to a malfunction. Just the city and don't come for us."

Before the commander of the Pride could reply, searing explosion rushed off the coast as Sentinel Lyons saw the nuke upon the Pitt. The Pride held on following the shockwaves of the nuke going off in the city of Pre-War Pittsburgh.

* * *

Mothership Zeta.

Above Earth's orbit, Mothership Zeta stood still as the Lone Wanderer and his group arrived on the mothership. They were then greeted by Sally, from the Pre-War era and 16th century Toshiro Kago. The companions of the Lone Wanderer could not believe they were in outer space as they looked at the window to see Earth. It was a captivating and beautiful sight to behold being the first people since the Pre-War times to see Earth in space.

LW glanced to Sally and asked. "Where are the workers?"

"They're in cells right now."

"Good. See what you can find and find some corners for my friends to stay."

"Micah." the Lone Wanderer upon hearing, quickly turned to Amata "Tom and Mary Holden. They-" before she could finish, the Lone Wanderer slammed his fist after storming off. "Micah!"

Butch touched her shoulder. "Let him go, Amata."


	10. Road to Philadelphia

**Apology for the long hiatus.**

 **As always please read, review, and enjoy!**

Chapter 10: Road to Philadelphia

* * *

Motheship Zeta.

The Lone Wanderer sat down on his bed as his hands covered his face. He was tired. Tired and angry over the fact that Kronos escaped. Tired of the Nerospiriodium leader fleeing away from him so he could aggravate and irritate me on an imaginable level. Since the Nerospiriodium war started, all the wanderer wanted to do was end Kronos for the pain he caused and end the war once and for all. He know for a fact that it was not going to be easy. That it would take time and planning before he could act to defeat Kronos. All the Lone Wanderer needed was a critical point to the Nerospiriodium efforts to stop the leader. A swift and crude strike at an important source. And a confirmed location to where Kronos hides as an added bonus. His thoughts on what to do next was suddenly cut off by the door knocking outside his quarters.

"What?" he heard another knock. "What is it? I don't like being bothered."

"It's me, Amata. Can I come in?"

"Hold on." the Lone Wanderer walked near the door and unlocked it to see Amata standing in front of him with a worried look. "Come on in." he said as she walked in his quarter before the door shut it closed. "What is it?"

"You've been in here for seven hours. I told everyone I would check on you. How are you feeling?"

"Well for one I'm pissed."

"Everybody's pissed that Kronos wasn't at the Pitt." Amata stated. "Not just you. Kronos tricked everyone from the Coalition to the Brotherhood of Steel to think he was even there." she laid a hand on his shoulder in a comforting manner. "Those deaths are all on him. He's the one to blame, Micah. Not you."

"I can't believe you call me by my name."

Amata touched his chest. "You're still Micah to me. That's never going to change even if you go by a different name."

"And all the only thing that I got from Atlas was that Kronos was hidden away. In an island city."

Amata folded her arms. "Probably has four parts of New York guarded. The question would which one."

"We need to branch off the entire Coalition and Brotherhood to start off a full frontal assault." Nicholas declared

"We'll need the Fate Insurgency. Desmond told me we owed them a favor after that assault on the mall."

"We need more."

"How are we going to find more is the question." Amata said as her and Micah heard a door knock

"Guys, it's me." they immediately recognized the voice as Butch. "The Citadel has been trying to contact us."

"Tell them we'll be in contact later. Right now, I need to know why zeta workers were held captive at Ashur's Haven." Lone Wanderer stated. "Might be a while before I find out any information worthwhile."

Butch nodded before stepping out. "Me and Amata will head back to Earth. I take it you'll find out why the zetan slaves?"

"I'll message in what I find out. As soon as I have something "

"Good luck on your end."

A few hours later, Micah walked over to an interrogation room wearing his trench coat vault 101 jumpsuit. He stood as he saw two former abductees, Sally and Elliot standing by looking at the cell showing one of the zetan slaves. Two years ago, he fought them while he was held captive on their ship. Now the tables were turned on the zetans when Kronos enslaved them. When he forced them into creating weapons and untapped technology for the Nerospiriodium horde to annihilate their enemies.

"Two years ago, we were their abductees."

"You were. For us it was 202. And now..."

"They're our abductees."

"They were Kronos' slaves. I want to know why."

"You think one of them knows what his endgame is? And would they ever tell us?"

"Let's find out. I'm going in, alone."

"So..." Micah trailed off taking a seat at the table. "How long have you been a slave of Kronos?" he asked. The zetan's responded in its own language as Micah touched the communicator on his ear. "Well?"

" _Wants to know why he's here."_ Sally said on communicator

"You're here is because Kronos has become my biggest target on my list of troubles." the Lone Wanderer said to the enslaved zetan. "For whatever reason, you along with the rest of your people were his slaves. Captives. Prisoners. Making him weapons would be around for a hundred years. Maybe even more."

" _He wants you to let him free and the rest of his people go."_

"What will you do if I decide to free you?"

" _He said they'll head to the Mexican desert away from prying eyes. Something about a small town they could have as a home."_

Micah kicked his feet on the table with folded arms. "I will guarantee your freedom only if you tell me something I want to know. If not, you and your people will stay in this ship until I no longer consider you a threat to the entire people of earth. Or..." he moved his feet off the table and leaned forward the zetan. "You can tell me where Kronos is and where he's making these weapons you've created for him. Tell me and I'll do what I can to keep that bastard away from you until I put that son of a bitch down in the ground. If not, I can just sent you all back to the irradiated city to fend for yourselves to the point that Kronos will finish you off." he said giving the ultimatum as he headed for the door. "The choice is yours."

"He said he'll tell you what he knows."

Micah went back to the chair and sat as his legs were back on the table, staring at the zetan. "Alright, let's hear it."

* * *

Citadel.

The Citadel was on guard as it was since the Brotherhood arrived in the Capital Wasteland, and especially still during the Nerospiriodium war. The Brotherhood of Steel lost casualties, but in more lives lost on their side than the Coalition. In the infirmary, men and women that served at the battle of the Pitt were being treated. Bandaged and given medical aid due to their injuries. Now, Elder Lyons is with the chief Brotherhood and Outcast members debating the aftermath of the Pitt. Sentinel Lyons and the rest of the Pride chose not to participate in the meeting, due to a possibly of growing animosity between the Pride and Brotherhood Outcasts. For now, the injured were going their wounds licked while the core members of both Outcast and Brotherhood discussing their plan of action.

"Once again, Kronos manages to evade us."

"This freak of aberration is only mocking us. The abomination must be found and dealt with. Quickly."

"Agreed. He and his mutated freaks have technology that does not belong to them. I recommend we weed them out and exterminate them all."

"You're forgetting we don't know where Kronos is. Or what he has planned for us."

"Have we heard any word from Knight Law?"

"Not yet."

"Why should this concern even us? We find Kronos and kill him. Simple as that."

"Elder Lyons. One of Knight Law's companion is here to speak with you. Said it was a private matter."

"If you will excuse me."

"He's got a possible lead Kronos in Philadelphia."

"He is going alone? It may prove too dangerous for him."

"Exactly what I told him. He took two with him just in case. In the meantime, he wants the Coalition and Brotherhood to go to New York."

"Then we need to leave as soon as possible. I'll inform the others of this."

* * *

Megaton.

In the caravan town known as Megaton, people continued in their routine jobs. Either doing caravan work, working at in the factories housed in Grayditch to assemble weapons, ammo, and transports for the Coalition. The few settlers that left joined the Coalition the next day while Amata went inside the Lone Wanderer's home. She was greeted by Wadsworth as she nodded, seeing Lucy West watching toddler Marie playing with her teddy bear.

"Can't believe Tom and Mary died." Lucy said watching the two year old toddler

"Yeah. It's... a big shock to all of us from 101." Amata glanced at Marie playing with a toy alien in her hand. "Who's going to look after her?"

"For now, just me. Nick will decided after the war's over."

"You mean Micah?" Amata looked to see Lucy stare at her. "That was his name while he was raised in the vault."

"Do you care about him? And I'm not asking as a friend. Do you still love him?"

Amata stared down into her cup with a sad expression."I... I don't know anymore. I still see him as a friend. And I banished him from the vault, just so bring back the peace lost after he and his father left."

Lucy leaned forward with her hands pressed together. "What was life in the vault compare to out here?"

"Boring. Dull. All work everyday we lived there, but it was safe." Amata explained as she held a cup in her hand. "When we were kids, we all thought the vault door was always forever closed. Ever since Micah left the vault, I found out that they lied. My father and everyone opened the vault before and keep it hidden from us since we were babies."

"How was life in the vault with the two of you?"

"It was perfect. For how long it lasted." A small smile formed on Amata's face. "Micah was different before he left the vault. I know that much."

* * *

Jamesville.

In the center of Jamesville, both Coalition and Brotherhood of Steel stood orderly in attention as Col. Cameron and Elder Lyons stood beside each other. The ghouls in the Fate Insurgency stood beside the Coalition due to harsh hostilities to some of the Brotherhood. Most of all members of the Outcasts. Civilians stood in attention to see friends and loved ones leave for what would hopefully be the final battle against the Nerospiriodium. Husbands, wives, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, and grandchildren along with lovers heading into the abyss to war for the final time. Lives could be lost on this final battle as every soldier said their goodbyes to their cherished loved ones. Tanks and transport trucks rolled in, with vertibirds filled with Brotherhood and Coalition troops ready for what would likely be the final battle. Once they marched, the soldiers of Brotherhood of Steel and Coalition suddenly heard the words of Elder Lyons when they headed north.

"Let this march against the Nerospiriodium be our last. Many lives have been lost and so much blood has been shed enough. To New York, for our final battle against Kronos."

"A commendable speech, Elder."

"Thank you, Colonel. I trust the remainder of the fleet is heading to New York as we speak."

"They've just arrived in New Jersey." Cameron stated. "They'll wait for the rest of the army to meet them at the checkpoint."

"The Pride is among the troops leaving here. Has there been any word from Knight Law?"

"I just received word that he's in Philadelphia. May god go with him on whatever he finds there."

* * *

Philadelphia.

Like all the cities when the Great War started, Philadelphia was just a regular wasteland in Pre-War America as the Lone Wanderer along with Fawkes and Charon followed his lead in the city. Some of the building in the city remained intact while others were nearly in ruins. Aimed to the teeth with a gatling laser, combat shotgun, and xuanlong assault rifle. They were currently at a site where corpses of Nerospiriodium were laid out, covered in dark red blood along with bullets and the smell of ozone from energy weapons touched their nostrils. Charon scanned the ground as he noticed a bloodied human corpse among the dead nerospiriodium platoon.

"Found a body over here among the skirmish." he shouted to the Lone Wanderer and Fawkes. "Not nerospiriodium."

Micah and Fawkes stare down at the human corpse. "No way one person could do this. Looks like a random scavenger happened through here." the Lone Wanderer said, judging by the ragged clothes the corpse had on. "Also irradiated bullets in the sternum and bottom torso. Radiation killed him before the neros got hit in the skirmish."

"Could it have been a guerilla faction that dealt the harm to these ruffians?" Fawkes grunted lifting a satyr corpse off the ground with his hand. "Or perhaps some sort of mercenary outfit well fitted for the task."

"No ordinary group could have done this." Charon stated. "This was something else."

Before any of them could respond, they suddenly heard the sound of a tree snap as their weapons were trained to the direction of the sound. That was when they heard footsteps. Some were small, but most of the steps got louder by each step. The Lone Wanderer and his two companions saw a few tribal looking humans, women from the looks of it while they walked their way as Charon and Fawkes exchanged a look with their loyal friend. But what they saw next merely took them by surprise as supermutants joined the human tribals in the fray of the area. In that moment when the Lone Wanderer and his two faithful companions were suddenly surrounded, all he did was show a wide grin before letting out a chuckle.


	11. Battle of New York

**I apologize there were slight changes earlier. But It was basically an alternate ending if someone else was the Lone Wanderer instead.**

 **As always please read, review, and enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 11: Battle of New York

A bright light became the first thing Micah saw after the bag was taken off his head. He blinked his eyes twice as his vision was becoming more clearer, taking a look at his surroundings. There were super mutants in armor, but the most strangest to the Lone Wanderer was that he saw women and children in tribal garb staring at him. The bags covering Fawkes and Charon's head were removed after as they saw their current location. It looked more of a football stadium and from what Micah remembered in history class back in the day in Vault 101, they were at Lincoln stadium. The leader of these super mutants walked up to the Lone Wanderer and his mutated companions. Outside the city behind them, they saw elephants leaving as they head west out of Philadelphia.

"Why have you come here?"

"What is this place? And who are you?"

"I am Odysseus. War chief. Now tell me..." said super mutant narrowed his hard eyes at the Lone Wanderer. "Why are you here?"

"We came here looking for the ones we're at war with. And something tells me you hate the ones were searching for as well.

A super mutant with scars on his face and torso walked beside the leader. "They are outsiders. We can't trust them!"

"At ease, Shepard." the War chief leader stared at the Lone Wanderer. "Now, answer my question. Why are you here?"

"To find an enemy me and my friends have been facing after they attacked our home."

"And where is home?"

"Capital Wasteland. We've been at war with the Nerospiridium since then."

"The Nerospiridium. We know of them."

"Where are we? if you do not mind me asking."

"This is Elysium. Our sanctuary."

"Surprised this place is still standing. And out of a post-war football stadium which is one hell of a plus."

War chief slammed the bottom end of his spear. "Athenians collect knowledge and study pre-war technology of the past. Spartans fight for battles and wars in time such as this. And Argonauts are set out to explore and adventure." he stated

"Where do they all go? Where do you send them?"

"Primarily in the entire eastern seaboard." war chief answered. "Though a few travel to the Midwestern and West Coast where there was a rumor regarding a town of human, ghoul, and super mutant. Along with an entire town of Super mutant. Outside the Nevada commonwealth in New Vegas."

"Vegas still exists?" Charon suddenly asked as Fawkes

"It does. First and second generation are occupied there. But more of my mutant brethren moved across the Wasteland." Odysseus

"How do you know about the West Coast?"

"Because I have traveled there back and forth. Also the west is my home and I was once apart of the creations courtesy of the Master." War chief stated

"Who?" Micah whispered to Fawkes and Charon

"I heard about him."

It was the Vault dweller of 87 super mutant's turn to question. "Then elude us my friend. Who is this "Master" this one speaks of?" he asked

"Heard only rumors from my last employer before Azrukhal, but apparently this Master is what created the first generation of super mutants back west." Charon explained. "They were created in a pre-war military base called Mariposa. When the Master received his "rebirth" from the vats of the Forced Evolutionary Virus, he remade those he capture to become super mutants. He was very selective who was worthy of becoming the first generation mutants. Ghouls had no effect of the FEV whatsoever." he concluded

War chief nodded his head. "Correct. The Master was eventually defeated by Albert Cole, the Vault Dweller." he said as he stared at the city of Elysium. "His grandchild, the Chosen One led the people of Arroyo and their Vault 13 distant relatives after the defeat of the Enclave. From what I have been told his great-granddaughter leads Arroyo as Elder now."

"Cole? That's Andrew's last name."

"It is possible that he is the direct descendant of this Vault Dweller bloodline." Fawkes added, while pondering curiously. "Perhaps you should ask him once this war with the Nerospiridium is over."

Odysseus folded his arms and stared at the travelers."So you have met the direct descendant of the Vault Dweller."

Micah cocked his eyebrow as he glanced at the War chief. "Depends if you hate this Vault Dweller and his descendants."

"It is... complicated. Some of my mutant brethren hated him for the Master's death, but others felt freedom and being reborn." he expressed to the Lone Wanderer. "There are a few guiding our second-generation of super mutants who were former miners forced into slavery by the Enslave to dig out exposed FEV or "dum-dums" they are called."

"I take it you have these first and second generations here?"

"Only a few." War chief answered. "But more of the new generations of super mutants from your capital wasteland and the Commonwealth."

"So that's where the rest of the Vault 87 mutants headed. Here in Philadelphia."

"But I have never heard of super mutants in the Commonwealth." Fawkes added. "Although, I wonder for how long."

"What do you say we join forces against the Nerospiridium?" Micah suggested to the War chief of Elysium. "We both have that in common."

"We know of you from our nightkin. Your coalition is allied with the Brotherhood of Steel." Odysseus scowled hearing the sudden angry grunts from super mutants

"Yeah... I can see that being a problem."

"We do not trust the East and West chapters of the Brotherhood."

"So you do dislike the Brotherhood Of Steel." Micah interjected

"We tolerate their Midwest chapter more since there are those of our mutant brethren accepted into their ranks. Ghouls, even sentient machines along with intelligent and a talking deathclaw."

the Lone Wanderer blinked before asking in certain disbelief. "Seriously? A talking deathclaw? I find that hard to believe."

"You have to be in the west to believe it for yourself, Lone Wanderer. Or maybe in the Midwest chapter of the Brotherhood."

"Well it looks like you know who I am?"

All of a sudden, an explosion erupted from the southwest corner of the stadium. Sounds of screaming and panic could be suddenly heard as super mutant warriors rushed into the distance of the disturbance, armed to the teeth. Missiles impacted on the walls of the city of Elysium as the wall cracked, with Nerospiridium pouring inside the marketplace. Spartan mutants mow down charging fauns with giant blades made from car bumpers and blade rotors while one tossed a faun toward a satyr one-handed. The third super mutant launched his bumper sword, impaling the head of a minotaur on the wall while the citizens of Elysium fled to safety from the battle. In retaliation, a charging minotaur charged its horns on the super mutant's sterum while firing scattered blasts of laser fire from his energy based shotgun. Two more were sniped by a holorifle from a harpie inside a deserted diner across the street.

"Odysseus! Nerospiridium are attacking the city!"

"To arms, Spartans!" Odysseus stared at the Lone Wanderer, Fawkes, and Charon. "Friend or foe?" he asked in a demanding tone

Micah sighed. "We'll help."

Odysseus tossed the three of them weapons. Courtesy of Odyseeus's own guard, Micah received an assault carbine while Fawkes and Charon were given a minigun and scoped hunting rifle. "Defend my home and vanquish these interlopers."

"We're helping them now?"

"You know what they say: the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Fawkes grunted. "I like that saying." he said firing his minigun at incoming trogs and minotaurs

"Who says that?"

"People."

Charon and Fawkes ran in the ambush point, as they wiped off every Nerospiriodium with nothing but 5mm and .50 cal bullets. The lone wanderer took a nearby Molotov cocktail from a dead spartan as he lid the top on fire, firing a few last shots from the M16 assault carbine. The hunting rifle Charon fired started to jam as he bashed a satyr in the head with the butt of the rifle before setting a harpy on fire from a molotov he threw. Fawkes tossed a Nerospiriodium energy based shotgun called the scattergun at Charon who fired off three shots, as the Lone Wanderer kept firing. Unknown to him, a satyr appeared behind the Lone Wanderer via stealth boy with a flaming sword ready to be impale toward him. Then suddenly, a cloaked woman jumped on its back, shooting it in the spine with 10mm sub-machine pistol before planting a shot at the back of its head. The woman removed the cloak covering her face, revealing herself to be Sydney as she fired off her sub-machine gun at incoming harpies and trogs.

"Just manage to get your self in all sorts of trouble, don't you?"

"Sydney! Damn, it's good to see a friendly face!"

"How did you find us?"

"You think we'd let you three go alone."

Right on cue, Dogmeat lunged in the air as his canine teeth sicked in on a faun's neck while Butch fired his tri-beam laser rifle at a few neros. More came pouring in on the left side as Nadine tossed out a frag grenade and Amata stabbed her trench knife in the jugular of a trog before firing two shots from her pistol. She used the trog she jabbed in the knife as a human shield protecting her irradiated uranium deposited bullets from a faun, shooting it in the head along with a couple more.

"Still alive, I see."

The Lone Wanderer's companions were holding their own ground against the Nerospiridium with the help of Elysium super mutants. A slate gray and blue highlight grenade that landed near a paladin's foot, as it exploded into a scorching blue fire that burned the body to scorching dust. A chimera tank aimed its cannon and reign fire upon the super mutant warriors, taking out a few limbs. Micah's eyes focused on the chimera tank aiming straight toward the city of Elysium, planting C4 on the chassis as he jumped down before hitting the detonator.

"What the hell was that?"

"No idea, but it's dead and we're not."

"Well, that happened." Sydney stared at the dismembered body parts laying near the destroyed chimera tank and entire nerospiridium army sent to attack Elysium

"No shit." Butch reply in agreement. "To be honest I thought we were goners there for a sec. Especially with whatever that thing is." he added pointing his thumb to the mysterious machine of alien origin, possibly mixed with pre-war tech

"But why the hell would the neros retreat all of a sudden?"

"I think it's..."

"Amata..."

"Micah. When we came here to find you guys, I caught some of the nerospiridium were heading east."

"What's east?"

"New York City. Where the Brotherhood is heading to take on Kronos."

"Even with the Outcasts and Coalition, they can't do it alone."

"Are you suggesting..." Charon trailed staring at the Elysium super mutants. "Although, it is a good suggestion. We've seen handle well in a fight."

"Sally, do you read me?"

"10 4, good buddy.

"Do you think you can use Zeta to teleport us along with a super mutant army to New York City?"

"That's a big no, LW. There's a field that dampening the signal to encrypt making it impossible. The turrets and heavy firepower blocking New York City doesn't make it any better either." the little girl genius stated. "But I could teleport you all where the energy signature I'm getting from the force field I told you about. Just need to- there. The signal's coming from Brooklyn."

"That could work."

"How are the Brotherhood handling things?"

"They're having a battle in Stanton Island and Jersey with the nerospiridium. It'll probably take them a few hours before they get to New York." Sally stated to the Lone Wanderer. "But the naval fleet of Brotherhood and Coalition just occupied the Bronx after hostile neros. Seems like those guys don't want the Brotherhood in New York."

"Figured as much."

"What about the other areas?"

"Joint Coalition-Insurgency forces almost have Queens. Sending a beacon to teleport you all there now."

"We might be having some new friends with us to join the party."

"You mean the super mutants behind you?"

"Wait you can see them?"

"Advanced satellites and telescopic sighting. Wonders of alien technology."

"Where's Kronos? Is he in New York?"

"Based on the energy field signature originating, his life signs are in the Empire State building

* * *

Brooklyn

The entire streets of Brooklyn became a battlefield, Coalition soldiers were currently trenched as nerospiridium charged forward weapons firing. Nerospiriodium skirmishers and minotaur laid out their assault on in TRAF soldiers and Enforcers. Shadowfaxs and Taskmasters took the fight in the rooftops, scoping and supporting the left flank. Dealing damage to charging nerospiriodium forces coming from the subways on east side. With minotaurs leading the charge, Enforcers retaliated with the incoming rally of a tank and three humvees raining bullets and explosive shells. Among the battle of the Pitt between Coalition and Nerospiriodium horde, Dagger and Hammer squad on the right flank. Two humvees rammed a minotaur from behind as they drove, firing their mounted machine guns at a nearby nerospiriodium swarm on the streets. The Brotherhood of Steel were holding their group at the attack of the Nerospiriodiums as three Outcasts ended up dead from a barrage ofjumping bean grenades.

The Pride fired back at the enemy, being retaliated in laser beams and bullets. A minotaur leading the defense with Trogs, fauns, satyrs, and harpies as more minotaurs joined the fray. Lasers turned fauns, trogs, and minotaurs to piles of dust while plasma from the neros turned Coalition-Insurgency into goo. A minotaur slammed the hilt of a proton ax at an Enforcer that sent him flying, as it cut off the soldier's torso in half follow by the head. His rolling head was covered in ash and blood, as it charged Gallows from behind. Gallows blocked using his rifle as he got sent into the ground as the minotaur's hoove on his chest, crushing him. Gallows yelled on pain as Sarah shot the minotaur in the face and neck before it fell to its death. In return, Knight Artemis and Dusk were hit as well with Vargas received a holoblast to the head, only for Kodiak and Colvin to fire back at the sniper.

"Medic!"

"It's too late for him, Sarah. Vargas is gone."

The Nerospriodium were held up in a nearby building where the heavily guarded generator was protected as Juarez's squad landed a assault on the neros protected building. A group of power armored soldiers, wielding super sledgehammers from the Coalition took charge against a squad minotaur with proton axes. while Susie took a look into the binoculars once more to know of the enemys' positions. They spotted a bright light shot down on the ground, leaving the Nerospiriodium paused from the battle. Suddenly, super mutants started charging forth to their enemies leaving Coalition-Insurgency awestruck but worried of the super mutant presence. Fate insurgents charged them into the fray, firing bullets and laser fire at the Nerospiriodium as the park began to become a battlefield once again. New recruits of the Insurgency wore armors of both combat and leather, as some went down bleeding on the ground by enemy fire and the rest took cover under the trenches. A suicide minotaur fired out sonic booms from the cannon as insurgents were sent flying away and back, blowing up in the process coming into contact with Coalition soldiers. A small mushroom cloud filled the area as fire and radiation leaked in, leaving a satyr leading trogs in the charge.

Blood and guts laid on the battle covered floor as Coalition and Insurgency with a squadron of Brotherhood of Steel knights flanking the left and right side of nerospiridium. TRAF soldiers and Taskmaster covered the right flank as a humvee, with a Shadowfax fired a mounted machine gun at trogs while another Shadowfax fired a shot ten yards away at three fauns. All of a sudden, a humvee jeep was blasted away as a one manned vehicle headed their way with a Enforcer firing his Browning Automatic Rifle light machine-gun at the incoming enemy craft.

The front large wheel and small wheel on the back red motorcycle Chariots ran over a Coalition soldier turning him into roadkill. On the sides were small cannons which fired 25mm grenade shells at TRAFs and a Brotherhood initiate in the process, as a Taskmaster sniper lunged a bullet to the satyr's head. The sniper fired off a few shots at fauns and two harpies, leaving the Taskmaster to have his head shot off as he fell down below the trenches. A Brotherhood knight spewed out laser fire as minotaurs impaled proton axes and decapitated heads, but not before one Brotherhood knight using a gatling laser along with disintegrated a couple of fauns in the process. A blue holographic light suddenly covered the knight's body, as he began turning to ash due to a harpy in the distance. A female Shadowfax sniper shot the head of the harpie off while firing two more into a satyr's chest, leaving it to bleed on the ground as she moved forward below the trenches. She took cover by a Taskmaster firing a type 93 silencer in his hands, as he ducked his head down from incoming fire. Barnes radioed in for an air strike was called to take out the generator surrounding New York city, as both the nero infested building and generator was caught in the explosion.

"Generator's down. Now... all that's left is Kronos." the leader of the Elysium super mutants stood still as the Lone Wanderer came to a halt. "What's going on here?"

"We should take our leave, Wanderer."

"I thought you'd stick around to see Kronos dead. Hell, "

"Oh, I would. But I don't trust Brotherhood. Only one I can tolerate."

"The Midwest chapter." Charon said as he and the Lone Wanderer exchanged a look, then looked at Fawkes who nodded before glancing at each other and nodding

"Well, in that case." Micah touched the communicator in his possession. "Sally, teleport Odysseus and his army back to Philadelphia."

"You sure? We could use more like them."

"I'm sure. Take them back home."

"Okey dokey."

"How many?"

"Over 300 hundred. Vargas included."

"Kronos is held up in the Empire State building in the city."

"And that leaves most of the ground forces in New York ready for us." Micah smiled. "Let's fuck 'em up."

* * *

New York

The East Coast of the Brotherhood of Steel repel against the Nerospiriodium. Both Lyons' chapter and the Outcasts that served Casdin's side hold the line by firing weapons of both light and fire. The Brotherhood Of Steel landed on the ground running, as more paladins and knights charged forward firing their energy based laser weapons. They took cover under the trenches as plasma blasts rain down on them, turning a couple of knights into piles of goo. Blast after blast, initiates and paladins were losing their limbs and lives through plasma fire as a knight fired off a shot from a gauss rifle. Brotherhood and Coalition-Insurgency began to get bombarded with artillery rounds. Now, vertibirds heading to the Empire State buildings into fours teams. The first two were that of the Lone Wanderer and his companions with the other two were with Amata's team and Lyon's Pride as turrets from the Empire State building opened fire. Rockets launched from the vertibirds, destroying the turrets as they jumped across. Amata's team and the Pride went to act as distraction for the horde down below while the Lone Wanderer, Charon, and Fawkes worked their way up to where Kronos resided. The quick description he looked as the same of Typhoon and Atlas, only bone spikes covered his chest and arms with only trousers covering him. Small mini drones of both alien origin and pre-war surrounded him. The leader of the Nerospiroidium simply took a sip of wine as he noticed the Lone Wanderer along with his ghoul and super mutant companion, seeing their weapons trained on him.

"You arrive."

"You don't seem surprise." the Lone Wanderer said with his assault rifle still aimed at Kronos

"Braun said you would come for me."

"Last I checked, Braun was still in Vault 112. You set him loose on me in vault 59."

"Just a fracture. As for where he went, he headed to the West Coast. But for the specific place I do not know where after I gave two of those gary clones." Kronos finished the wine in his glass as he tossed the bottle outside before grabbing an advanced energy-based rifle. "You should be more concerned about you."

"We'll see what about that." the three fired bullets and laser beams straight at Kronos

Kronos blocked the bullets and laser fire using one of the small drones behind him before firing the argent rifle at Fawkes, Charon, and the Lone Wanderer. Fawkes grabbed a plasma caster shooting all the drones that shield Kronos. Kronos dashed forth and grabbed the Vault 87 super mutant, slamming him into submission. before sending him flying toward as one last drone shielded him. The Lone Wanderer rushed toward him sending a jab across the chin, follow by with a left hook toward the face. He launched himself into a jump, but Kronos had sent him flying on the floor as the Nerospiroidium leader opened fire on the Lone Wanderer. Fawkes tackled him through his shield as the shield absorbed the impact and sent him flying. Charon looked up to see attack drones firing at them, taking a few shots from his combat shotgun. Micah wished he had pulse grenades to take these machines out, but have to settle killing the attack drones the hard way. Fawkes leaped forth and grabbed an attack drone, using his super mutant strength to break the machine in half as he opened fire using the drone cannon when something caught Micah's eye. A fusion core was deep inside the drone Fawkes destroyed as he motioned Fawkes and Charon to keep Kronos occupied once he retrieved the fusion core. Fawkes shot down his final mini drone as Charon shot Kronos in the arm, causing him to drop the argent Lone Wanderer ran toward, doing a dive below the Nerospiroidium leader's feet and dug the fusion core behind his back along with a frag grenade. Kronos kicked him aside glaring at the Lone Wanderer, seeing the human suddenly smile as he showed a pin he held with two fingers. Kronos widened his eyes in fear as he prepared to toss the fusion core away until Fawkes fired the drone cannon at the fusion core Kronos held. In one swift blast, the fusion core detonated as Kronos was engulfed in a small mushroom cloud sending the three away flying back.

"It is done." the vault 87 super mutant said staring at the piles of ashes which was once Kronos

"Kronos is dead." Charon said helping the Lone Wanderer off his feet

"The war is over." Micah said, hearing cheers from the Brotherhood and joint Coalition-Insurgency were heard on the communicators as Sarah made her way to the room

Sarah cupped his cheek as Micah did the same. "You did it. We won the war."

"Yes. Yes we did." he said as his and Sarah's lips touched each other

* * *

Elsewhere

Inside a secret facility underneath an abandoned town, formerly called Broken Hills where armed guards patrolled the area in the California wasteland on the west coast. A young man stepped out of the virtual simulation pod as did a few young men and women, while a grizzled man in early sixties headed toward the terminal and shut off the pods. The current date: March 11, 2285 as it labeled the end of training program simulator of the Nerospiridium war. In the med-bay, Frieda Swanson was assisting doctors in surgery while Bradley Holmes barked orders at the new recruits during training exercises. Roberto Martinez dealt in observing and maintaining vehicular movement of transports, tanks, and vertibirds being fueled in case of takeoff. Mai Long on the other hand coordinate covert op mission through intelligence gathering.

Up in the distance, five stories above them to see a dark skinned man with a rough beard and fade cut hair. He wore a robe covering him with a bodysuit underneath which held a plasma pistol in his holster. His hands behind his back as he glanced at the sound of a tiny giggles of laughter. He looked to see a dark skinned raven haired and blue eyed little girl playing with her teddy bear in a room with another child. A brown haired and hazel eyed little boy playing his toy alien. He shift his gaze right of him to see an eight year old light dark skinned girl walking beside a woman, with Hispanic features and dark hair tied back in a bun. Both of them were bodysuit like the High Chancellor, blue with a yellow and black trim in the middle and down to the waist. He took a photo of a young version of himself and a woman. A woman with blonde hair tied back and blue eyes in power armor, resembling the little girl in the other room with only her face and piercing blue eyes. The woman ushered the eight year old to go inside the room where the younger were as she walked toward the High Chancellor.

"You still think about her, do you?"

"I do. And I owe it to Sarah that I will look after our daughter. Catherine, daughter of Sarah Lyons."

"Her and our son, Cole. As well as Marie here. That's your duty as a parent."

"True, but the children already have a mother. God knows they need a father as well."

"Then you give them one."

Micah sighed. "You know there will come a day when we cross paths with the Brotherhood back east. You and the kid might not want to stick around when that happens."

"You know I'll always stick by you, Cyrus."

The man chuckled as he heard Amata called him by that name. "It has been awhile since you have my real first name."

"Going on nine years now." Amata joked as Micah let out a small chuckle

His smile lessened as he stared at her. "But with what's coming... We might face a war with the Brotherhood. When no doubt they framed me for Sarah's death. The fucking gall on them!" he muttered. "Even with me traveling through the globe recruiting allies from other countries, this coalition of outcasts... they'll need a leader."

"The Outcasts can handle themselves in the meantime." Amata assured her husband. "For now, give them a father. For our children to be a family before it's too late."

"Very well. But first..." he held out folders from his robe. "Let me set these files in my study. I can look at them later I give the kids some quantity family time." he said to Amata

Amata kissed his cheek. "See that you do." she said as she went inside the room where her children were

With that, Micah headed to his study were his Lyon's Pride power armor reside along with his armored Vault 101 jumpsuit. His weapons case filled with the first pistol he used when fleeing Vault 101 that started his journey to find his father, and many weapons afterword. He sat down in his chair for a brief moment and stared at the file, glancing at the photo of his late father James when he was just a child. And another photo late lover Sarah Lyons, the mother of his daughter Catherine. He dropped the files on his desk as he left his study to be with his family. One file was dubbed Warrior named Jonathan Keller and his point of origin Chicago, along with his feats. The another was regarding an organization called the Institute. The final file on his desk opened to show a woman with dark hair and of Asian heritage wearing a duster with the number 21 on it. The file had only one name: Courier.

* * *

 **And so Nerospiroidium war came to an end. Kronos defeated and the eastern seaboard of the East Coast saved. The nerospiroidium alive fled New York city heading to the West Coast. Not long after wastelanders from the New York and Vault dwellers appeared out of the shadows and hiding, thankful for their saviors that defeated the nightmare Nerospiroidium menace. So a regiment of Brotherhood stayed in New York city, taking in any able settlers and vault dwellers into their ranks. Soon after seven months, the five cities of New York became a Brotherhood of Steel militant state. The Pitt still irradiated from the bomb of Megaton, became the home of the ghouls after being forcefully exiled from the Capital Wasteland five years after the end of the war. It was then the ghouls of Underworld were met with the Vault Dwellers of the Pitt. Together they used the Garden of Eden Creation Kit from Vault 59 to establish a thriving and trading community with alien technology the Nerospiroidium acquired, but left behind. In the deserts of Mexico, the Zetans build their small society into a colony to survive away from prying eyes. At the end of the war, the Zetans saw an opportunity when a support mothership crashed on an abandoned town in the Old West. In the year 2294, they successfully rebuild the mothership in near completion.  
**

 **After departure of the battle of New York, the super mutants of Elysium shouted in victory and applause that the Nerospiroidium were defeated by the Lone Wanderer and the war finally over. However, Odysseus remained silent after the Neros defeat due to the Lone Wanderer's victory but feared the day his people be at war with East Coast chapter of the Brotherhood. That day came in 2283 after Shepard's death when the Brotherhood arrived in Philadelphia. The attack on Elysium was swift with no warming whatsoever, forcing the Elysium super mutants to flee from their city. To add, the Coalition was hereby disbanded by the Brotherhood of Steel two years after Lyon's death. The former members headed west where they eventually met the Lone Wanderer. With available resources from the Coalition and Elias Fountaine, a base of operations was formed inside the former mines of Broken Hills California.  
**

 **After the events leading to the death of Sarah Lyons and being framed for her murder, the Lone Wanderer left the Capital Wasteland completely while on the run. Accompanying him was his faithful ghoul companion Charon and the Vault 87 super mutant Fawkes along with his former love Amata Almodovar. Once in the West Coast, Charon stayed in Necropolis with the rest of the ghoul until he found Broken Hills. Fawkes seclude himself until he encountered a group called the Followers of the Apocalypse, eventually escorting near to Vault city. Butch stayed behind in the Capital Wasteland, although he traveled west to see the Lone Wanderer and his family. Nadine continue transporting settlers from the Capital Wasteland to the new Brotherhood sanctioned Point Lookout. One day later, she and Butch headed west for adventure. Soon after, Sydney followed and is currently staying in Broken Hills. Tales of her exploits reached the West Coast of her travels with two travelers that followed. A ghoul who had perfect marksmanship using a shotgun and a super mutant with an 87 on his back.  
**

 **Andrew Cole, the descendant of the Vault Dweller and Grandson of the Chosen one ventured back the West Coast. Visiting the roots of his family's heritage in Vault 13 and Arroyo, knowing more of his origin. This was the will of his mother who had passed away six months after the end of the Nerospiroidium war. Upon which he met the Elder of Arroyo, who was revealed to be his grandmother and the original Chosen One. Andrew would be given a quest from the Elder to perceive a threat between the uncharted territories of New California Republic and Caesar's Legion. Through the end of his quest along with several journeys, he became known as from being a prisoner of Van Buren to the Marshall.**

 **Since then, the Lone Wanderer has stay valiant. Hidden in sight until he can avenge the woman he loved. For now, he protects his family. He realized he would have to prepare for when he and his Outcasts will go to war, to the very least to proof his innocent if possible. He knew there will come a day that the missing technology from the Nerospiroidium would be found by the wrong hands. Cyrus Micah Xavier Sampson remain on the search for Zetan tech merged with old pre-war technology, while watchfully on the hunt for any signs involving Braun. That another war would happen from any force in the Wastelands. Even from the Brotherhood of Steel should his hand be forced. To make sure peace was insured. But he knows that to achieve peace, is to prepare for war.  
**

 **And war... war never changes.**


End file.
